Origins of the Fallen Emperor
by VFSNAKE
Summary: He was Shao Kahn. Emperor of Outworld. Conqueror of the Realms. Former Advisor to the Dragon King. The one who defied the Elder Gods. But who was he before all of this? Simple. He was once a blonde haired, blue eyed boy, who wished to achieve a dream that he would realize would not be possible. Why? Because he would be betrayed by the village and set him on the path of Konquest.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1-Origins of a Conqueror

I am Shao Kahn.

_I am Shao Kahn! Konqueror of worlds! You will taste no victory!_

I was once the ruler of Outworld.

_I am Shao Kahn! And you will bow to me!_

I was its Emperor.

_Feel the power of Shao Kahn!_

I challenged all who opposed me.

_Feel the wrath of Shao Kahn!_

From the Elder Gods...

_The Elder Gods fear me, now._

...to the Thunder God Raiden.

_Now, Raiden. Your world ends._

I was once the Advisor to the previous Emperor Onaga: The Dragon King before I killed him and took the throne.

_I am Emperor now!_

I was a warrior.

_You will die, mortal!_

I was a conqueror.

_You will never win!_

But who was I before that you ask?

My answer to you?

I was a boy.

_Loser!_

I was naive.

_One day I will become Hokage and everyone will look up to me!_

I was weak.

_The demon is powerless. Kill it! Avenge Yondaime-sama and our loved ones!_

I was once a Shinobi of Konoha located in Fire Country.

_I never go back on my word! That's my nindo!_

My name? Uzumaki Naruto.

_Baka! Why don't you just die?! No one loves you!_

And I was betrayed by the village I loyally served even if they didn't deserve my loyalty.

_For harming the last Uchiha of Konoha with your demonic powers, by the power invested in me as the Gondaime Hokage Senju Tsunade hereby sentence you Uzumaki Naruto to death_.

And that was putting it mildly.

(From the Beginning)

Naruto was tied to a pole, chakra draining rope, suppression cuffs, spiked chains covering his exposed bleeding torso, and one wrapped around his neck to make him look up at the woman he brought back to be Hokage. She of course was glaring at him and he in turn glared back with hatred at her betrayal. After he brought back the rogue Uchiha, Naruto found himself restrained, sent to the prison cells below the Hokage Tower, where T&I were ordered by the Hokage herself to get answers out of him about what happened by any means necessary so long as it didn't break the seal holding Kyuubi.

And so they did. They were led by Morino Ibiki and Mitarashi Anko. Neither of them or their subordinates seemed to care about their target's health. Why would they? It would be counterproductive to their jobs. At first, Naruto told them what happened at the Valley of he End with Sasuke when they fought before anything even happened. Simple right? Wrong! Naruto barely got the words out, but within seconds of telling them what had happened, he was attacked by them, demanding the truth, and again Naruto told them word for word what happened. Hoping they would see reason. But they didn't. They did not stop in their methods. Again, he told them the truth, but by the fourth time telling it in the hopes of making the abuse stop failed, Naruto knew it wouldn't like he'd hoped, and it only just increased. They called him a lair, a demon in human skin, a monster that did not know how to speak the truth, and they all tried very hard to beat the "real truth" out of Naruto. However, despite all of this, Naruto's story never changed, and it only made them hurt him more with each passing second. When they realized Naruto wouldn't change his story no matter what, they surprisingly stopped their assault, but brought in Tsunade, and Jiraiya to have a few choice words with him.

It was on this day, Naruto was told his entire life, as crappy as it was growing up, and just about everything else he had been made to believe was true was in fact...a _lie_!

The Sandaime Hokage was not dead like everyone first believed. Like Naruto had been led to believe. His death was faked. Orochimaru's attempt to kill him? Staged. All of it The Sandaime Hokage was alive, in a new much younger body, and feeling better then ever thanks to his former student Orochimaru of all people providing it for him. His two Godparents (revealing that to him too) told Naruto about the plan to baptize Konoha in fire, blood, and war. One that would make the next generation of Shinobi ready for the future for an even BIGGER war that was foreseen by the Toads and the higher-ups were planning to use to make the Leaf _the_ dominate Shinobi village if not the _only _Shinobi village left in the Elemental Countries.

At the same time, Jiraiya and Tsunade revealed that Naruto's childhood all been done by the Sandaime Hokage skillful design by filling it with abuse, pain, suffering, and anguish. It was done to cement the boy's loyalty to the village while keeping him too weak to fight back when the time came to subdue should he get to unruly for their tastes. The mere fact Naruto beat Sasuke, who had far more Shinobi training then the other members of the Rookies of his graduating class, spoke volumes to them. The sheer fact that Kakashi only taught Sasuke the entire time, further proved to the higher-ups that Uzumaki Naruto had gotten too strong for their liking. That if left unchecked or allowed to grow further would make the Jinchuriki a threat to the village should he ever learn the truth about his heritage they deliberately kept from him.

So they decided for the good of the village as a whole and their overall plans in general from being put in further jeopardy...to cut their losses. And by cut their losses, they meant cut Naruto out of their lives completely by killing him before anyone outside of Konoha knew what was _really _going on.

But surprisingly _that_ wasn't even the worst news Naruto got that day.

The Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato himself, his own _Father_ was alive. And not just him either. His wife Uzumaki Kushina and their _daughter_ named Uzumaki Naruko were alive as well. The night of the Kyuubi's attack resulted in Minato sealing half of the fox inside himself and the other in Naruto. But what no one, but those in _the_ most highest positions in Konoha knew, was that a plan had been created based on Jiraiya's "Child of Prophecy" to ensure Konoha was unchallenged by the world.

The plan was simple.

The plan was to have Minato, Kushina, and Naruko go into hiding. The Sandaime would be reinstated back as Hokage of Konoha until the time was right to come out of hiding. The plan was for Orochimaru to help provide a body for the slowly growing old man to transfer his soul into it and extend his life through new body. Naruko would be trained by both her parents to one day return and take up her birthright as both a Namikaze and an Uzumaki.

As for Naruto...the plan involved meant he got the short end of the stick.

Why? Because neither Minato nor Kushina wanted him. Kushina had wanted a girl from the start. She didn't want a son. A son meant raising a possible pervert of a boy. She did not want that and didn't want to deal with some whiny boy for a child. But a girl like her daughter would be easy, as she could bond with Naruko, laugh with her daughter, and have all sorts of fun together since they would have the same personalities. Why should she bother wasting her time in bonding with a boy that could be like Minato? Why should she bother raising a son, who would never be able to understand her when growing up? To much work! It was better to just leave the brat in the village for them to get their kicks out of hurting the boy and make him into the weapon they planned from the start.

As for Minato, he also wanted a daughter over a son because like Kushina, he didn't care for having a male progeny, and wanted a daughter to spoil silly. The former Yondaime Hokage had also feared that if Naruto had Kushina's personality, the boy would take up too much of Minato's time. The man didn't want to deal with the brat, as his time could be spent elsewhere doing more constructive things, and not on the boy himself.

Besides, Minato needed time to master his new found powers, and wasn't about to risk the possibility of the both halves of the Kyuubi somehow getting back together again by accident. When they were informed by Jiraiya of what Naruto had done at the Valley of the End, being that weakest Leaf Shinobi of his generation beating the supposed best, the family came back, and were now among those ready to see the Kyuubi Jinchuriki die via public execution.

"So this is how it is going to end for me huh? Everything I did for you, this village, and those pricks here now crying out for my blood openly...was all based on a lie?" asked Naruto while Tsunade just glared at him.

"You are a tool Naruto. A tool that has become too knowledgeable and too powerful. We won't allow you to get strong enough take your revenge on us. Not now anyway with the truth revealed to you," replied Tsunade while Naruto growl at her.

"Look at it this way brat. You dying helps us out in the long run," remarked Jiraiya with a smirk on his face.

"And how do you figure that you perverted old shit?" asked Naruto before his face was grabbed hard by Jiraiya and they were looking the other right in the eyes.

"Because when you die, Kyuubi will materialize in nine years, and we can reseal it up easily into Naruko. With both Father and daughter being Jinchuriki with the seal, we can do some serious damage to Konoha's enemies, and bring this world under heel with the power of our Child of Prophecy. The _real_ Child of Prophecy. Not some weak shit like you!" answered Jiraiya before Naruto bit his hand hard and drew blood.

"If I'm so weak, then I shouldn't have been able to make you bleed," countered Naruto before he was punched in the face by Jiraiya.

"Enough Jiraiya! For harming the last Uchiha of Konoha with your demonic powers, by the power invested in me as the Gondaime Hokage Senju Tsunade hereby sentence you Uzumaki Naruto to death," declared Tsunade before Minato stepped forward, playing to the crowd, chanting his name, his _family_ beaming with pride, and supporting the man every step of the way.

"Anything to say before I put an end to you _son_? One final thing to say to your _Father_ before the end?" asked Minato mockingly while looking down at his son who looked up at him with furious and cold blue eyes.

"Yeah. I do actually. Fuck you, your so called family, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and the old fuck monkey Sarutobi standing beside them. I make you a promise on my own blood as an Uzumaki. A promise that I will not let death stop me from having my revenge! I will come back here to this village somehow, someway, and when I do...you are all going to _die_ and there is not a soul in this world or any other that can stand in my way!" exclaimed Naruto, as his eyes became red, and glowed with rage burning behind them.

It was in that moment, time slowed down for the blonde, and he found himself standing in his mindscape before the fox himself.

_**"I can help you fulfill that promise young one,"**_ offered Kyuubi with Naruto looking at him skeptically.

"And why exactly should I receive help from you of all beings?" asked Naruto with the fox looking deadly serious.

_**"Because like it or not boy...I'm your only chance of even having a shot at burning this village to the ground and everyone in it that has sided with your so called **__**family**__** now waiting to see you die,"**_ replied Kyuubi with Naruto narrowing his eyes at him.

"Bullshit! You just want to get your own revenge using me!" exclaimed Naruto with the fox looking furious.

_**"Even if that were remotely true, does it really matter how you get revenge so long as you get it? We both get our revenge at the same time. You think my other half likes being sealed away in the Yondaime? I can sense him wanting to get out, but the fool's seal makes it impossible. Imagine what they will do once I materialize in nine years after you die? I'll be sealed up again into your so called **__**sister**__** and used like a weapon for their war machine! I WILL NOT BE USED IN SUCH A MANNER!"**_ declared Kyuubi with Naruto nodding since he could see the fox's point of view.

"Okay. I'll help you get your revenge, if only so I can get mine. There is just one problem though. How do we escape from Konoha? I'm currently tied down with just about every seal there is that prevent you from giving me power to break free and just about everyone capable of suppressing you further has my body surrounded. Not much of an escape if I can't even get free from my bonds," stated Naruto with Kyuubi nodding.

_**"Which is why we will be calling on a higher power to set us free. The power...of the Elder Gods!"**_ answered Kyuubi before looking to his right and Naruto followed his gaze to a seal design that the boy didn't see before today.

"Elder Gods? How?" asked Naruto while feeling the need to go to the strange seal with what looked like dragons surrounding it.

_**"Put your chakra into that seal and call upon the Elder Gods to honor their agreement when they helped the Yondaime make this damn seal holding me back. Normally, to call upon any God for a sealing like mine requires a contract, or pact be made on the grounds the intentions for the sealing were noble. This seal before you is a failsafe to use in alerting them that the contract has been violated. Call upon them to take you from this realm to another. But be warned! The realm you go to by their hands will be random to the point where not even they will know where you end up. For all we know, the realm in question could actually be Hell itself. Not that it would be so bad for me, but for you...not so good,"**_ said Kyuubi with Naruto glaring at him.

"Oh great! Thanks for warning me and scaring the shit out of me at the same time," said Naruto before putting his hands on the seal and channeled chakra into the seal.

_**"Repeat after me everything I say. Make sure its spoken outside your mind or else the Elder Gods will not hear. Hurry! Your bastard Father is about to deliver the killing strike,"**_ said Kyuubi before telling Naruto what to say.

When Naruto's vision refocus on the outside world, he saw Minato's sword held high over his head, and about to be brought down onto the boy's head. However, before he could succeed, Naruto's hands shot to the ground, channeling what he could of Kyuubi's chakra into his throat, and his own went to his fingertips. Within seconds, a seal neither Minato, Jiraiya, or Kushina had ever seen in all his years materialized around his son.

_**"Elder Gods! Hear me! The contract you made with the mortal to seal up the Kyuubi inside me on the grounds of noble intentions has been violated! I call upon you now to honor your part of the contact to use your power to save this vessel from a death he does not deserve!"**_ exclaimed Naruto to the heavens before the seal below him began to glow even brighter.

"What is that? Stop him!" ordered Hiruzen with the seal consuming Naruto in an ominous light that shot toward the sky while dark clouds formed above with lightning striking in various places.

"Use your most powerful Fire Jutsus. Kill the monster before he escapes!" commanded an angry Tsunade, as she along with every other Shinobi went through hand signs for a Fire Jutsu, and launched it at Naruto.

Naruto held back from screaming out in pain, as the fire ripped into his body, and feeling his flesh tear from being pulled away from the post he was tied down on. The sky above where a portal to another realm awaited him was creating a vacuum of sorts, sucking the boy in along with the large mass of fire that burned his hair clean off.

When the portal finally closed, the sky cleared, and it was all over.

Naruto was gone. He was free...at last.

But the promise of his return remained, echoing through everyone's minds, and it was soon apparent to those responsible for the betrayal that the boy might actually succeed in getting his revenge.

'Naruto-kun. I'm sorry I couldn't help you like I wanted from the start. But I am glad you are free,' thought one person, the only person possibly in Konoha watching everything, and had tear stained eyes at seeing her crush about to die.

The girl's tears of sorrow became one of joy at seeing him escape his intended Fate.

And in that moment...Hyuuga Hinata was inspired to fight to break her own intended Fate within her clan. She would fight to get stronger and wasn't going to let anyone stop her from making it happen.

(Outworld-The Living Forest)

A small group of Tarkatan demons were patrolling the living forest per the orders of their Emperor Onaga: The Dragon King. He had sensed a rift in the realms and something had entered in domain uninvited in this part of his Empire.

"I smell it. Whatever entered Outworld is near here," said one Tarkatan while searching for their prey.

A groan was soon heard by the Tarkatans and they made their way over to the small lump of burned cut up flesh that was on the ground before them. It was oozing demonic energy, but it was clear to them that this creature, whatever it was, or had been in life...was near the end of its cycle.

"What is it? A demon from the Netherrealm?" asked a second Tarkatan while looking the creature over.

"An Oni maybe. His lack of skin resembles one of their kind," remarked another Tarkatan while giving the body a kick and a groan was heard seconds later.

"We will take it before the Dragon King. Our Master shall be the one to ultimately decide the creature's Fate," said the third of the group before they picked the downed creature up and dragged it to the Emperor's Palace.

(Dragon King's Palace)

_**"Why have you brought me this...thing**_**?" **demanded Onaga, as he saw the creature his group of warriors had brought him, and was not impressed.

"He was the creature you sensed had entered Outward my Emperor. We brought him here for you to decide what his Fate would be upon entering your domain," replied the leader of the group of Tarkatans.

Onaga said nothing at the moment, as he rose from his throne, a massive creature if there ever was one, and walked with thunderous steps toward the creature. Staring down at it, Onaga noticed the flesh was slowly healing, and sensed the demonic power within this thing was the source of it. Using his own power, Onaga levitated the creature so it was staring eye level with him, and it was clear this thing was barely conscious.

_**"Who are you? Tell me your name? Speak!"**_ demanded Onaga with the creature trying to breath much less speak.

"I-I...I don't know," replied the weak creature.

_**"That's not good enough. How did you enter Outworld? What realm are you from?!"**_ demanded Onaga while tightening his hold on the thing.

"I don't know! All I remember is the pain from torture, suffering at the hands of others, and then...escaping betrayal. Escaping a death I did not deserve," gasped the creature in the Dragon King's grip.

Onaga narrowed his eyes at the creature, sensing no lie from it, but smelled something from the creature, and it didn't sit well with him. When he recognized it, Onaga's eyes widened, and he slammed the thing to the ground.

_**"You have the stench of the Elder Gods on you!"**_ proclaimed Onaga angrily before he raised his leg to crush the creature in front of him.

"I don't remember anything about that! I don't even remember my own name!" gasped the creature while Onaga paused in movement to crush the creature beneath his reptilian feet.

_**"Really? Now that's very interesting. Perhaps I was hasty in moving to end your life so soon,"**_ remarked Onaga while pondering what to do with this thing and walked in a circle around it.

"I want to live. Let me live," said the figure while getting to its knees and hearing the loud thunderous footsteps of Onaga with the Dragon King circling him.

_**"I will let you live. **__**BUT**__** there is a price to pay for your continued existence and in my realm,"**_ replied Onaga with the creature nodding.

"I will pay it. Whatever it is you ask of me...I will pay it," replied the figure with his eyes shifting between blue and red to the Dragon King's shock.

_**"You will pledge your loyalty to me. You will serve me and my army here in Outworld. You will fight! You kill! You will conquer!"**_ declared Onaga while his various Shadow Priests entered the throne room.

"I will serve. I will use all my power, my strength, and skills you give me to fight for the glory of Outworld!" exclaimed the figure while trying to stand.

_**"Good! Now to ensure that you can fulfill your pledge. As you are now...your body is weak. Too frail to be useful to me as you are in your current form. We need to change that,"**_ remarked Onaga before calling upon his power while the Shadow Priests did the same.

The little creature, human from what Onaga recognized after some of the wounds the boy was showing from earlier had healed was now covered in Dark Magic, and levitating in midair before them. Soon, all the Shadow Priests in the room, and Onaga began chanting in ancient mystical tongue. The human child covered in their Dark Magic started to jerk left and right, fighting back the pain he was feeling, and the changes his body was going through at the moment. The boy could feel his muscles expanding, tearing, ripping, the body shredding itself inside, and it soon became too much for the strange child to handle.

All he could do was scream out in pain.

Soon, the scream of a child became the scream of a man, and the figure behind the magic fell to the ground when ritual performed on him faded. The boy now turned man breathed heavily, his body was naked, not an ounce of body hair, or fat was on him. Eyes that had once moved from blue to red were now permanently red and glowing with power. The figure struggled to stand at first before stabilizing himself and looking at his new form. While the figure found himself considerably taller then before, the overall height, and mass of the Dragon King was much bigger. Not only that, but the reborn warrior now found his mind was sharper, more focused, and began to remember things from his past. Images of people he knew, his interactions with them, scenes of his childhood coming in clearer with each passing second, and most of them were unpleasant to say the least.

He also remembered...her. The one girl who caught his interest with her inner strength and passion. A diamond in the rough. She was shy at first from what he remembered of her. Especially when around him, but then an image appeared in his mind of a battle, a fight between someone of her blood, and how this girl kept fighting. The girl showed a warrior's spirit when she kept on fighting, even when she knew she couldn't win. Despite the fact this opponent was stronger then her, had hit harder then her, and intended to kill her. This girl stood her ground, ready to face death at the hands of her own blood, and the memory showed she had looked at him at one point with a smile on her face.

And then the memories of others around him appeared. Only they were not so friendly like the girl had been. Pain from those memories surfaced. It involved training of some kind, but from what the man gathered, it involved his team of kids his age using him as a punching bag, and those from other teams along with their teachers. The laughter, the mockery, the humiliation at being beaten with so little training while the teachers mocked him for it when they deliberately denied him the training to get stronger.

'I will have my revenge on them. All of them! Down to the last backstabbing traitor living in it! I will one day return to that realm, wherever it may be, and crush them!' thought the figure angrily.

_**"Clothe him,"**_ ordered Onaga with the Shadow Priests coming forward before providing the tall figure with clothing and armor.

"Thank you my Emperor. I will make use of this new life you have given me with great zeal," replied the figure after he was properly dressed before a Shadow Priest presented him with an ancient looking spiked, samurai helmet guise carved out of bone, and another presented him with a large hammer with the symbol of a dragon at the end.

_**"I know you will. Your old life is no more. Your purpose is to serve me and you will need a name befitting it. From this day forward, I Onaga: Dragon King, and Emperor of Outworld hereby bestow on you the name...Shao Kahn!"**_ declared Onaga with the newly named Shao Kahn bowing humbly before his Master before putting the helmet on his head.

"Shao Kahn. Yes. I am Shao Kahn: The Conqueror! The Conqueror...of the Realms!" exclaimed Shao Kahn proudly and made it his mission in life to take each realm one by one until he found the one realm he was looking for that was once his home...before burning everything in it down the ground around him.

He did have a revenge driven promise to keep after all.

(A/N: YAY! Yes I know I posted a new fic. I couldn't help myself. I had this sudden urge to write this and I couldn't stop. No this is not a redo or rewrite of my first NarutoxMortal Kombat fic. Yes I'm bashing people in Konoha. So if you don't like where you know this will be going, then don't read it, and blame some of the fics I've read recently that put Konoha in a bad light. I'm getting sick of people bitching about what I write when you have a pretty good idea of how I'm going to write things and I damn well you don't have to read it. You choose to read what I write. That's your own damn fault! Also, some of you fantastic flamers don't even have anything posted so you can't really criticize what I write anyway. So don't be a bunch of fucking hypocrites. Why don't you go write your own stuff instead of bitching about mine or those who write stuff like mine? Until next time...PEACE!)


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2-My Victory?

For many years, centuries going into a single millennia to be exact, I served Onaga as a faithful warrior, and moved myself up the ranks of his army swiftly. First, I was just one of his many soldiers, then a Commander, a General, and finally...Chief Advisor. I worked hard in everything I did under his command, but it wasn't enough. I wanted to find the realm from which I was truly born in, from which I was hated by those residing in it, and by those fools no doubt celebrating what they had done. No doubt they believe what they saw was my demise and my promise no longer at the forefront of their minds or fears. Even their descendants most likely had no idea of my existence, my name being stained by those that wrote it, and mocking me for ages to come. It only drove me further, as one realm after another fell by my hands, I grew stronger in the process, and in time I realized that no matter how hard I tried...I may never find what I wanted.

Especially when I noticed how Onaga was dragging his feet all for the sake of finding a means of achieving eternal life. Bah! Eternal life, who needs it? Its a crutch for cowards! I have been in so many life or death situations, I have no reason to seek out such a thing as eternal life. By the time my frustration had reached it zenith, it was at that point the idea to remove Onaga as Emperor of Outworld began to form within my mind, and a plan to kill him soon emerged.

First, I had to weaken him to the point where I could kill him, and assert my authority to take control of the realm from those who would try to take it from me afterward. I wasn't a fool when it came to measure my power against Onaga. The Dragon King was stronger then I and by a good margin too. To face Onaga head on would be foolish, suicidal, and I am neither in regards to my chances in fighting him. So I planned it out. I had to weaken him, poison him using his favorite drink, using an agent loyal only to me, and handled the goblet Onaga drank from. The poison itself was tasteless, even to the Dragon King's own tongue, and by the time he realized something was amiss with his weakened condition...I struck him multiple times in the head.

_Violently_!

The irony of it was I used the Wrath Hammer, the very same Wrath Hammer that he gave me when I first came into his service.

When it was over, I sat upon a throne, I had become the new Emperor of Outworld, and I crushed all who opposed my rule. I gathered the strongest warriors of Outworld to serve under me and appointed their leaders as my most trusted Generals. Prince Goro from the Shokan race had been made one of my highest ranked Generals and provided me with the loyalty of their race as a whole. I had them compete with the Centaurians for the right for it and keep the skills of both sides sharp through competition. The Tarkatans came next, as they showed promise with some of their brood with Baraka eventually becoming the General representing his race. Another trusted warrior was Reptile, but unlike the others who represented entire races, this creature did not, for he was believed to be the last, and was without a real purpose.

Feeling a sense of something from a memory long ago from another life, I gave him one, and brought the creature under my command. Many times, I had sent Reptile on scouting missions to find my realm, and on several occasions I thought he had succeeded. Only to learn each realm he found was not the one I was once from and I could sense what I was looking for since I became Shao Kahn was still alluding me.

I grew increasingly frustrated by my failure to finding the realm I was looking for after so long. I became increasingly impatient and above all else...increasingly aggressive.

It slowed down however, _after_ I conquered the realm known as...Edenia.

It was a beautiful world, filled with life, and the resources of this realm made me want it all to be mine. Naturally, I was opposed by the King, and Queen of the Edenia despite my right to take the realm after winning 10 consecutive Mortal Kombat Tournaments. They fought me for the right to Edenia, I won in the end, and took the spoils that came from the war. First, the realm itself was made mine. Second was the Queen Sindel, who I married, and made my Queen while adopting Kitana as my daughter. Sindel was a beautiful and strong woman, one of the reasons I made her my Queen. The other reason was because a part of me believed that another girl from the past would have grown up to be just like the Edenian Queen, and Kitana would have been the daughter we would have had together.

But in the years following my ascension to becoming Emperor of Outworld had made me paranoid, the memories of those who betrayed me would sometimes rise to the surface of my mind, and Sindel's suicide years later strengthened it. All he had left was Kitana, who I had raised as my own daughter, and trained to be my personal bodyguard at the same time. But even with that fact and knowing Kitana was too young to truly remember her real Father, I had suspected it was only a matter of time.

Hence why I commissioned my personal sorcerer Shang Tsung to make preparations to make me a daughter using sorcery and Kitana's blood mixed with Tarkatan. He along with the Shadow Priests assigned to the project succeeded and soon Mileenia was born.

And aside from Mileena's facial appearance being different along her mouth...she was an exact physical copy of Kitana with only the color in their choice of clothing being able to tell the two woman apart at a distance. Now I had twin sisters for daughters I could now call my own, but by the time this happened, Kitana was starting to shift away from me, and the betrayal that was sure to follow once more made my blood boil. It reminded me of how _that_ place had betrayed me, the people their betrayed me, and it meant time was turning against me on when the girl I raised as my own would stab me in the back!

Hence why I had insurance in having Mileena secretly assigned to watch Kitana for when the inevitable happened in order to...dispose of her.

And the inevitable did happen.

By that time, I had directed my attention toward Earthrealm, on the advice of a sorcerer named Quan Chi, who came to form a secret alliance with me at the behest of the fallen Elder God Shinnok. I agreed, in the belief it would give me the edge needed to take Earthrealm, and call on the fallen Elder God to combat the Thunder God Raiden himself when I made the crossover to my newest conquest.

I was mistaken.

I had fought the warriors of Earthrealm and lost due to my own arrogance. Kitana had betrayed me like I had foreseen, but Mileena had failed to stop her, and I had lost one daughter at the hands of the other. It was by that point, I had to retreat, my losses grew, and I my strength declined. After I made my return to Outworld, I realized at this point that my weakened condition, my defeat at the hands of Earthrealm's warriors, and my overall failure in conquering Earthrealm was from me having grown stagnant. I had only been in a few battles since I had taken the throne, some of my muscles had become a bit flabby, my enemies had grown too strong, and my forces too incompetent along with too ambitious to fight them properly. Sheeva had killed Motaro, Kano had allied with Sheeva to betray her to me in exchange for my sparing of his life. Goro was now gone, Kintaro was dead, and I just had killed Sheeva after she entered my throne room to kill me.

As for Shinnok, he along with Quan Chi were now waging their own war with Raiden, and his Earthrealm's warriors who survived my battle. Sindel and Kitana now had Edenia back after they pried it from my control and weakening me further. It was only a matter of time before my enemies successfully overpowered what loyal troops I had left and came for me. I had Shang Tsung on my side, but I had punished him after his failure in taking Earthrealm, and his loyalty was always in question when it came to serving me.

The sorcerer always was an ambitious little snake. Part of my mind whispered that he was just like another pair of snake from a past long ago.

So I had devised a plan. A plan to turn the tables and become more powerful then ever. I needed to get back into the fight. To turn the flab I had gained from sitting on the throne and barely fighting back into solid muscle once more. So I used almost all of my power to make a solid clone and flee from my position knowing I couldn't stay.

Soon after, I heard whispers of my clone dying at the both the hands of Shang Tsung, and Quan Chi under false pretenses of an alliance. From what I heard, they came to my clone to offer the services of their powers to help my troops combat Edenia's army now allied with the Shokan to kill me. As I made my way through the terrain of Outworld, I saw the sight of a badly injured Goro, who lay dying at my feet, and would have surely perished had I not saved him with the last of the power I still had. Goro made have sided with the realm of Edenia, but I still respected him for his years of loyal service, and offered him it when he regained consciousness.

That and to prove his race was superior to the Centaurians also helped provide the needed incentive to side with me. So we fled, fooling the Edenian warriors that Goro had been killed, and we escaped together to plan for my return to the seat of power. Though I soon learned it would become a challenge once more, as Onaga had returned from beyond the grave, more powerful then ever, and had killed the two sorcerers.

I should know they died because Shang Tsung appeared before me in a crude body due to a pledge he made years ago to my person that would not allow him to die so long as I was alive. The three of us prepared ourselves, Goro rallying what troops he could to fight for me, and Shang Tsung going to a village he knew of in order to absorb the souls there to regain his lost strength while restoring his mutated body into what it had been prior to his death.

And together, the three of us had succeeded in that regard. We fought our enemies all over Outworld, we grew stronger once more, the fire I had when I first became Shao Kahn had returned. The fire to fight my own battles personally that I had lost was back, and reminding me of my skills as a warrior. What I truly was in life.

A conqueror of realms.

By this point, Raiden's forces had failed to defeat the Dragon King, but were able to divert his attention, and weaken his position to the point where _I_ could take the throne from him. We fought once more, but unlike the first time where I had poison, and surprise on my side...I had Goro helping me in the fight to kill the former Emperor once more with his soul going to the Netherealm. After Onaga had been dealt with, I went to deal with the Edenian forces fighting Onaga's, and now _MY_ troops once more. When I smashed into the throne room, I saw Kitana there being protected by her Sages, ready to defend their Princess with their lives, and fight to the bitter end for her.

They should have known better then to trust Kitana because the woman they were now protecting was not Kitana at all, but in fact it was..._Mileena_.

My Mileena. My daughter. My heir to the throne of Outworld should I die. But I wasn't dead. Not yet anyway.

She had been impersonating Kitana for sometime, using her twin's forces to fight for the throne of Outworld, and become its new ruler. It made me proud inside at having such an ambitious daughter, but that alone was not about to let me stay my hand in knocking the woman aside to take what was mine. Not that I needed to, as Mileena personally killed the Sages protecting her, and stepped aside to let me sit on the throne of Outworld once more so she could serve me.

I was pleased and yet disgusted at the same time. Not by Mileena, but by the revelation I had regarding how my sitting on the throne of Outworld was what weakened me in the first place. Had essentially weakened Onaga in the belief he could not be challenged and focus on achieving eternal life and ignore the delight of fighting to expand his realm. It was there, in that moment, I made another promise to never let the throne weaken me, and cause my downfall. That I would fight like all my troops on the battlefield and no one stop me from getting stronger until not even the Elder Gods themselves could stand in my way.

Speaking of Elder Gods...Shinnok had somehow saved Quan Chi and came to visit me once again about a pyramid hidden in Outworld, made by one of the Elder Gods named Argus. Hence why it was named the Pyramid of Argus, where it was said the power, rank, and abilities of an Elder God were locked away. A power that only a warrior of great strength and skill could achieve the right to become an Elder God. To become one of the very toothless worms I had come to despise with their rules and regulations on how realms should be taken by means of Mortal Kombat.

Still, to become an Elder God was promising, as I could not only become more powerful, possibly become _THE _strongest of the Elder Gods, but to find my home realm, and crush it like I had promised myself long ago. While those that betrayed me were long dead, it was only fair in my mind that their descendents pay the price, and I kill everyone of them while the souls of the betrayers they are born from curse me in death.

So after much thought, I accepted the alliance made between myself, and Shinnok once again. However, I made a small reminder in my head to kill Shinnok once I became an Elder God, and all of his followers joining him in death's cruel embrace. But there was a small catch it seemed, as I would not be the only one partnering up with Shinnok, as I would be forced to ally with Onaga, who the fallen Elder God brought back, but weaker now then when he first returned to claim his throne, and he no longer held such a gap in terms of power over me.

What was even more surprising was Raiden had been corrupted since his initial attempt to kill the Dragon King and offered all of us in the alliance a deal. He would let the one who won have all the realms from the Realm of Chaos to the Realm of Order, Edenia, the Netherealm, and any other we wanted with the exception of Earthrealm. Naturally we had accepted the deal for we knew that no matter what, Raiden along with all the other Elder Gods would have to honor it. Raiden himself had become an Elder God after his victory over Shinnok, and still spoke for them despite his corrupted state. Therefore none of the Elder Gods could break it and the realm taken after taking the power at the Pyramid of Argus would not be in violation of Mortal Kombat.

The end result? After the fighting that would take place at the Pyramid of Argus...Mortal Kombat would no longer hold sway over me.

I would relish that day forever. Add to the fact I would be fighting in the heat of battle once more only strengthened my bloodlust further. Raiden's Earthrealm warriors had no idea of the deal he made with us, and yet he led them onto the field of battle on a united front against our side. My side. We all knew what was at stake. Both sides charged onto the battlefield, knowing that whoever came out the victor would hold the Fate of the realms in the palm of their hands.

To bring peace to the realms? Or to bring about Armageddon?

During the battle, the Pyramid of Argus appeared, rising up from the ground, and making itself known to us all at last. It drew us to the top of the pyramid shaped structure where a bonfire like flame stood, swirling, calling out to me, and me alone while saying "This is your chance. Take it!" inside my mind.

I fought my way there. To the top. Knock back one kombatant after another with my Wrath Hammer. None could oppose me. I may not have been the fastest to race up the pyramid, but I was the strongest, and I could knock the more nimble warriors away. It was only after Shang Tsung broke the alliance did get farther then any of the others, but I forgot about Onaga, and his hidden thirst for revenge. The Dragon King appeared in front of me after I received a kick from the sorcerer and was carried away by my predecessor to be tormented by him.

However, it seemed luck was once again on my side as it had been ages ago, for Onaga was attacked by something from behind, and it must have been something powerful due to how it seemed to injure him. I saw the opportunity to strike him hard. It was enough to throw him off course and crash into a nearby mountain side before crashing to the ground below. Fortunately, Onaga took most of the collision into the mountain, and when we fell so my injuries were minor. Not that I cared about being hurt, as the pain helped make me feel alive, and the Pyramid of Argus was still calling to me while hearing the roar of the guardian Blade defending the power I so desired.

But first, I had to deal with Onaga, and ensure he never got in my way again.

The Dragon King was dizzy when he tried to stand with all his injuries from the surprise attack to mine and those leading to the fall had weakened him. He never saw the hit to his skull with my fists or the other blows I landed on him without mercy. I had known by that point, the only sure way to kill the Dragon King was to do it with my bare hands. No other substitute for his death would suffice or put my mind at ease in believing he was truly dead.

After smashing his face in, I snapped his neck, and ripped it off before crushing it in my hands to ensure no form of regeneration could happen if the head was left alone for the scavengers to feast on. With my personal mission done, I ran back to the Pyramid of Argus, knowing time was of the essence, and any of the warriors from either side could possibly take the power of the Elder Gods for themselves. Fortunately, by the time I got there, it wasn't the case, as my enemies, and allies had all killed each other to reach the top.

Leaving only one other opponent aside from Blaze.

Raiden himself.

I would eventually defeat Blade in a well earned fight before Raiden could even hope to stop me and my power was enhanced by the end result to new levels. Raiden himself was no match for me despite being an Elder God, as he had been fighting the others earlier, and was not even able to tap into his full power as the God of Thunder due to being in the Realm of Outworld.

"Where are the Elder Gods, Raiden?" asked Shao Kahn, as he stood over Raiden's body, and laughed at the pathetic sight before him that was the defeated Thunder and Elder God of Earthrealm.

"Their pathetic Mortal Kombat shackles me no longer," declared the Emperor after he picked up Raiden by the front of his armor before striking him several times in the face with his fists before throwing him across the top of the pyramid.

"They masquerade as dragons, but are mere toothless worms," mocked Shao Kahn, as he walked over to Raiden's downed form, his Wrath Hammer in hand, and saw the Thunder God turning over before stomping a massive foot down on him.

"My venom spreads. It is the end of all things. _**Armageddon!**_" exclaimed Shao Kahn, as his body was sudden covered in a golden fire, and bathing in its power.

"STOOOP!" Raiden yelled out, but all he got was a content sigh from the one standing over him.

_**"It is done."**_ remarked Shao Kahn before picking Raiden up so the two could look the other square in the eyes.

_**"Your time has passed,"**_ said the Emperor before throwing Raiden back to where had first fallen near his broken amulet.

'I need to do something. Anything! But what? The Elder Gods aren't intervening. There is nothing left I can do to stop Shao Kahn except perhaps...,' thought Raiden, as he noticed the broken amulet on the ground, and reached for the majority of them.

_**"Ages wasted in foolish resistance. Now is the dawn of my rule!"**_ declared Shao Kahn, as he walked toward Raiden, who picked up the amulet pieces, and began chanting in an unknown language.

It made Shao Kahn laugh.

_**"Yes. Pray to the worms, Raiden. As your world ends!"**_ declared Shao Kahn just before Raiden finishes his chanting and brings his Wrath Hammer up to bring down the killing blow with a war cry.

"He must win!" whispered Raiden before seeing the Wrath Hammer come down on his head.

In that moment, time along with the Fate of all the Realms had been changed forever, and so would that of Shao Kahn himself.

(A/N: YAY! Another update! This came to me soon after the first chapter was posted so that's why it is out so fast. In case you are wondering, yes this was basically a retelling of the original timeline of Mortal Kombat, and the next chapter will now be leading into the alternate one where things will change. Personally, I like some things about the alternate, and hate at the same time. Like Cyber Sub-Zero. I like the Sub-Zero from the original (his MK Deception outfit was awesome!) timeline while Noob Saibot from the alternate is badass. So its a bit of a give and take with me. Also, Raiden should have let things play out as they did in the alternate timeline like they did in the original until he got to the point where Shao Kahn was pushed back, and then changed thing things from there. In the end, he made things worse since so man key warriors needed to fend off Shinnok are now under Shinnok, and Quan Chi's control. Should be interesting how the story line will go in the next Mortal Kombat game now that so many new things have happened. Until next time...PEACE!)


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3-Not Exactly Déjà Vu

_He must win!_

I found myself jerked back by an invisible force and look around with sharp eyes at my surroundings. Was it a dream? Some kind of vision of the future? I see I am in my throne room in Outworld, my mind focusing on what just happened, and what was happening now. Was this some spell placed on me by a treacherous sorcerer? Was it the Elder Gods playing mind games? Did I just see myself standing on top of some strange pyramid in my own realm and defeating Raiden? That I caused Armageddon? I find myself shaking my head slightly, blocking the images from my head, and focusing on the task at hand.

The conquering of Earthrealm.

Shang Tsung had assured me that the needed 10th and final victory in needed to win this Mortal Kombat Tournament and to take Earthrealm would soon be mine. All the warriors competing to defend that realm were weak, their moral broken from previous losses, and Goro himself was the reigning champion.

At least according to his prized sorcerer overseeing the tournament.

It wasn't until the old man I once taught the Dark Arts fell to his knees before me did I sense a certain...foreboding. A foreboding that was eclipsed by my rage that was ready to be unleashed before I even sensed it was there, but that thought was ignored after what I heard next.

Shang Tsung had failed to win the final tournament.

"You failed me! Five hundred years I have waited! Now I must wait five hundred more!" roared Shao Kahn in anger, but in the back of his mind, he senses a form of Déjà Vu.

Like he had been in this same spot having this same conversation before in at another point in time.

Shrugging it off, I narrowing my red smoldering eyes at the frightened sorcerer in front of me as he pleads his case regarding his failure, and I quickly silence him before issuing a command to Baraka to kill the fool. However, for all his pathetic excuses, Shang Tsung knew what to say, and how to say it in order to stay his execution.

And thus, he convinced me to spare his wretched life in order to use him for another plan to take Earthrealm by having another Mortal Kombat Tournament. While I grew sick of them after enduring 500 years of waiting for one victory after the next, Shang Tsung had convinced me one more couldn't hurt, and to hold it here in Outworld. That we would have a considerable advantage over Earthrealm's participating warriors and even Raiden himself.

All that was needed was for Raiden to agree to the terms of this tournament. If he did, the Elder Gods would have no choice _BUT_ to allow me the right to claim Earthrealm when my side won. However, I was also aware of what would happen should my side lose, a sense of foreboding arose in me again, and I had to ensure we did indeed win this time.

So I commanded Shang Tsung to not only convince Raiden to have his warriors compete in this new tournament, but to have my sorcerer participate as well. Naturally, I could not have him compete as the frail old man, who lost to Earthrealm's newest champion, and risk another loss.

So I gave Shang Tsung his youth back. His power was strengthen by my good graces and I made him realize that failure was not an option for him in this assignment.

Only now, the sense of foreboding didn't leave like I had hoped. It lingered. Gnawing at me like some hungry rat nibbling the flesh off of a corpse in one of my dungeons. All I could do was ignore it, believing my forces would win in the end, and Raiden's followers would be crushed before I moved to take Earthrealm like I first desired.

It was only later when my Mortal Kombat Tournament was held, did I find myself filled with rage at the continued incompetence of my forces, and their inability to win against Earthrealm's warriors. It seemed none could stand against them, as Scorpion to Shang Tsung, Quan Chi, and my new Shokan warrior Kintaro had failed to prove their worth in assuring my victory.

And in my anger, I lashed out at Earthrealm's current victor Kung Lao...by snapping his neck.

And effectively killing him.

In that moment, time slowed down, Raiden was about to attack me for killing the prideful boy without issuing the challenge of Mortal Kombat. I was prepared to fight the Thunder God, but due to my short sightedness on my part, I failed to prepare for the attack coming from Kung Lao's fellow Shaolin Warrior Lui Kang, who was the previous tournament winner, and the one responsible for Shang Tsung's failure. In the boy's rage, he used his ability to create fire, and formed it around his fist before driving the appendage straight through my chest.

I found myself reliving a memory of another time, from another place, and another foe doing the exact same thing to me...more then once. Only the difference then and now was I was being hit by a fist filled with fire. Not lightning. I lay on the ground, dying from the injury, I see my forces rush after Raiden's warriors, all of whom had quickly fled back to their precious realm, victory now assured, and my ability to take Earthrealm now lost to me forever. Part of me, long forgotten had screamed in rage at the injustice of it all, as my desires, and my ambition to getting my revenge were being taken away.

And yet...not all was lost. Quan Chi had not chased after Raiden and his warriors like my forces had after my fall. He used his powers to heal me and save my life before it was too late. When I appeared before my Generals, I overheard them talking about who would be the one to take over as ruler of Outworld. Mileena was nominated instantly, as I had already decreed her my true heir, and daughter after Kitana had brought Shang Tsung to me earlier regarding the project.

The look of hurt in her eyes when I told the woman the truth brought about an ache in my heart at the time, but I crushed it knowing soon or later, Kitana would have betrayed me. Now his former daughter was in Earthrealm with Raiden's warriors, no doubt celebrating their victory over me, and no doubt celebrating my supposed demise. Not to mention the new found knowledge that Earthrealm is safe from any Outworld invasion on my part.

But I am not so easily vanquished.

Quan Chi soon proposed to me that I should simply invade Earthrealm and to take what was mine from the start. I was angered by the sorcerer's words, as he knew perfectly well that I couldn't crossover personally into Earthrealm like I wanted to from the start. When my Queen Sindel killed herself, she had created a powerful magic ward to deny me that right, and thus prevented my body from entering the realm. The only way I could cancel out such a powerful magic out until now would be to win 10 consecutive Mortal Kombat Tournaments to absorb Earthrealm into a part of Outworld.

But like Shang Tsung at times, Quan Chi can be very persuasive in his arguments when he has to be regarding the rules of set forth by the Elder Gods. Not surprising when one of them was in the service of a former Elder God and knew all the rules by heart.

The sorcerer in question had figured out a way to get around such a power, as he could bring Sindel back to life using his sorcery, and cancel out the magic ward created from her death. Not only that, but he could bring Sindel under my control, and influence so I would have a Queen by my side worthy of me. No more betrayals. No more would I be denied a woman of strength, beauty, and skill befitting an Emperor like myself.

For a moment, I picture the image of a girl full grown into a woman similar to Sindel with long dark hair, lavender eyes, and a deadly skills in hand to hand fighting before banishing the image away. That person was dead for over a thousand years, no doubt she had moved on, and had her own line of children who had their own, and repeated it for quite some time. If _she_ did have any descendants, I would spare them my wrath, or at the very least give them the chance to serve me when I found my birth realm.

"I am weary of sorcerers, Quan Chi. Prove your worth. Bring her to me," commanded a still angry Shao Kahn, as he saw the sorcerer humbly bow, and leave with his shadowy bodyguard for where Sindel's body was located.

It wasn't long before Quan Chi brought my Queen before me and the woman looked into my eyes with adoration like the sorcerer promised. She looked at me with love. She soon kissed me and I returned it with a passion. Sindel was mine again once more.

And so was my chance to take Earthrealm.

I called for my forces to prepare for battle. I was going to do what I should have done from the start and taken Earthrealm by force whether the Elder Gods approved or not.

Once more, a sense of foreboding gnawed at my mind, but I ignored it completely, as my desire to take my Queen in our bed, and conquer Earthrealm burned within my body. I was tired of showing restraint. Tired of playing it safe. Being cautious of what the Elder Gods would do should I violate the rules of Mortal Kombat.

Rules were made to be broken!

However, my soon to be victory would come at a price. My army while vicious and many in number, were being repelled back by Raiden along with the Thunder God's forces. The Black Dragon Clan leader Kano provided my forces with modernized weapons to help fight Earthrealm's own soldiers. But the weapons provided were in short supply and mine were not fully trained in what the mercenary provided for their use. I needed to make sure my authority over Earthrealm was absolute in the eyes of my future subjects, as I ordered Quan Chi to make take prisoners in order to prepare a Soulnado to draw strength from the souls upon entering the realm.

Unfortunately, while Quan Chi was successful, he failed to keep it open, and was soon lost thanks to one of Raiden's warriors. Before that, my newest General Motaro, who had taken over for the Shokan, was slain by Raiden during one of his hunts for any potential threats, and my patience was growing increasingly thin. Raiden's forces were holding their own, my losses were increasing, and it was only a matter of time before I was forced back before my own arrival.

It was then my Queen offered to hunt down these pests and eliminate them for good so I would not be opposed when I crossed into the realm. I agreed, but I wasn't about to send Sindel to Earthrealm just to have her be killed by the combined might of the opposition. The Edenian Queen needed to be stronger, more powerful, and more deadlier then ever before if this fierce warrior woman was going to fight her own daughter.

And for that to happen, I needed Shang Tsung's help. Or rather...I needed the ever large collection of souls residing within his body...at the expense of his life.

He would not be missed.

With my beloved Queen now hunting down the Earthrealm warriors, I was preparing for the event of entering Earthrealm itself, and taking what was mine. No longer would I be afraid of the Elder Gods or the consequences I would possible face upon breaking their rules regarding the merging of the realms without the means of Mortal Kombat.

I was Shao Kahn: Conqueror of Realms! It was high time I remind those around me of that important fact.

However, when I exited the portal to Earthrealm, nothing could have surprised me more then to see Raiden bow in submission. One of his prized warriors, Lui Kang was on the ground nearby, and covered in burns that looked like one would receive from being hit by lightning. Two of his warriors disobeyed the Thunder God and charged me, but I batted them away with a fraction of my power. A shame really. The blonde haired woman had a nice figure for an Earthrealm warrior. I thought of turning her into a concubine or slave girl temporarily came to the forefront of my mind, but that left when I saw Raiden stand before me.

Only to bow in submission.

"Ah, Raiden. You have come to your senses," said Shao Kahn with a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Earthrealm's citizens suffer. Further resistance serves no purpose," replied Raiden in a humble tone while the Emperor laughed.

"All these ages you have fought me. You denied me my rightful claim. Not this time," said Shao Kahn before standing in front of Raiden and hit the Thunder God with a mighty uppercut that sent him flying back.

It was here, reality began to distort itself from events from another time.

"The Elder Gods fear me, now," declared Shao Kahn before laughing and lifting Raiden up by the front of his clothes.

"Their pathetic Mortal Kombat shackles me no longer," declared the Emperor after he picked up Raiden and began striking him several times in the face with his fists before throwing him across the rooftop.

His badly cracked amulet falling off of him and shattering into many pieces.

"They masquerade as dragons, but are mere toothless worms," said Shao Kahn mockingly while he walked towards Raiden, Wrath Hammer in hand, and standing over the Thunder God before putting his massive foot down.

"You can feel it. Closing in around you. It is the end of all things," boasted Shao Kahn while seeing this realm being taken over piece by piece.

"Elder Gods, where are you? Why do you forsake me?" asked Raiden while looking at the heavens above and awaiting for some kind of miracle by the Elder Gods.

"Your time has past," said Shao Kahn after picking Raiden up again and throwing him across the roof.

'I don't understand. I've done what needs to be done and yet...what am I missing?' thought Raiden while struggling to stand.

"Ages wasted in foolish resistance. I have won," declared Shao Kahn before he stood in front of Raiden's kneeling form.

"Yes. You have won," admitted Raiden, as he finally conceded defeat fully, and awaiting for the killing strike once more like what happened to his future self.

"Now, Raiden. Your world ends," declared Shao Kahn with a grin on his face and he now brought his Wrath Hammer up to deliver the killing blow while letting out a war cry.

Only for golden lightning to shoot down from the sky, getting the Emperor of Outworld's attention, and the Elder Gods appeared around Raiden. They entered his body and healed him of his injuries before addressing the warlord through the Thunder God's body.

_**"You violate our will, Shao Kahn. You merge realms without victory in Mortal Kombat. Our penalty is clear,"**_ declared the combined voices of the Elder Gods through Raiden before they got golden lightning at the Emperor.

Only to see it doing absolutely nothing except making Shao Kahn laugh.

"An anemic effort from ineffectual deities. Today, I become THE Elder God!" declared Shao Kahn, as he was not harmed in the slightest by the attack, and saw his opponent was now going to fight him for the right to this realm.

He wouldn't have it any other way.

The battle was brutal. One I had not experience in years. In ages actually. My time sitting on the throne had done little to improve my position of my own power growing. The last time I faced such a powerful foe was when I ambushed my weakened predecessor Onaga: The Dragon King. But this was different. Onaga was poisoned, caught off guard, and did not see the hit coming. I was currently fighting a Thunder God, who was now empowered with the strength of the Elder Gods themselves, and they weren't holding back on me in the slightest.

The gnawing feeling in the back of my mind began to return in force. I realized there was a chance I could lose here, but my pride wouldn't let me stop, wouldn't let me leave, and wouldn't be denied the right to this realm. I wanted it! I needed it! I fought wildly against Raiden, but he kept on dodging moving with his element, and pushing me back until it was too much. At another point in time, at any another place, I would have won this fight, and the realms would have been mine! But in my already weakened state, I was unable to achieve my victory over Raiden, and the Elder Gods like I had first hoped. When the time was right, they finally made their move, leaving Raiden's body, and quickly surrounding mine before taking me away into the sky to face their divine punishment.

I had lost. I had failed. I Shao Kahn: Conqueror of Realms and Emperor to the Realm of Outworld...had been defeated.

Which was why I find myself currently on my knees, bound in ethereal golden chains, all attached to the floor, and at this time surrounded on all sides within the center of Hall of the Elder Gods. Each of them has a face of anger surrounding their visages while glaring at my bound body. My eyes are closed, I'm too weak to even consider opening them, and I can feel my head is no longer covered by my helmet. I am exposed to them. All that I am is seen by the Elder Gods and its clear they don't like it. Not surprising. To them, I was a demonic entity forged through the magic powers from Onaga, and the Shadow Priests. I was a vile thing that deserved to be thrown into the deepest darkest regions of the Netherrealm and have the demons down there rip me to pieces.

_**"This is an insult! This **__**creature**__** has violated our decree. For too long Shao Kahn has used every possible way to get around our laws. It is clear he must be made an example of to ensure no one else makes similar attempts,"**_ decreed one Elder God loudly in the room.

Many of them were nodding in agreement, but few said nothing while looking at me with their piercing gaze. I knew they were looking at me because I could sense it. As they did, I thought back upon my past, what led me to this moment, the reason why I done what I did, and why I first became what I did. My vow, my promise, and the principle behind my belief in keeping my promises.

'I must get free. I must get my revenge!' thought Shao Kahn as he clenched his hands into fists while hearing the Elder Gods arguing on how he should be punished.

_**"It has been decided. The only punishment befitting Shao Kahn's crimes against us and the realms is death!"**_ bellowed another Elder God at last.

"Some things never change," whispered Shao Kahn before letting out a chuckle.

_**"What? If you have something to say Shao Kahn, then say it!"**_ commanded another Elder God, a female voice from the sound of it.

"You act like your are eyes all seeing. That you are all knowing. But you are nothing of the sort. If you were, then you would know of our long lost history, and that it is because of you that I was able to alive this long," remarked Shao Kahn while the Elder Gods now narrowed their eyes at him.

_**"What do you mean Shao Kahn? Speak!"**_ commanded another Elder God who had a deep male voice and was clearly not amused. 

"Look through my mind Elder Gods. I know you can. Look at what I was before I came into the service of Onaga. Why I have done all that I have done. And...the reason why I will not let you destroy me so easily," replied Shao Kahn with his eyes snapping open and determination was now showing through his crimson red eyes.

The Elder Gods looked at each other, clearly unsure if not curious about his words, and decided to investigate if what Shao Kahn said was in fact true. So they looked into his mind, going deep into the man's memories to the point where he was born, and began their journey to understanding him. They saw into the man's birth, the reason for them being summoned to help Minato seal the Kyuubi into the child, and what soon followed the sealing itself. The Elder Gods slowly became angry from what they saw, as they saw the abuse the innocent boy endured, how the boy struggled everyday just to live, and even then there were quite a few close calls.

They saw the shame of a test at a Shinobi Academy.

The betrayal of one of the Academy Instructors in a quest for power.

Another Academy Instructor secretly hating the abused child and for something he didn't even know about.

The truth of why he was hated being revealed to the boy.

The farce of a Genin team he had been put on with an even more pathetic instructor who also hated the boy.

The training the team went through with the hated child getting little to no help at all in the field while those around him got so much more and used him as a training dummy before rubbing it in his face.

They saw the battle on the bridge in Wave Country and the events that followed.

The Chuunin Exams from start to finish.

The invasion of the Leaf village.

The supposed death of the Sandaime.

Dealing with two members of the Akatsuki.

Bringing back Senju Tsunade to Konoha and nearly dying.

Being saved by the woman he was looking to bring back if only to be used as a weapon later on by her and those under her future command.

And then they got to the point in the memories where Uchiha Sasuke tried to desert the village for the power Orochimaru was offering. How the blonde fought him in a fight worthy of Mortal Kombat. How the blonde blue eyed boy, who was considering to be the _weakest_ Shinobi of his generation, had succeeded through sheer determination alone against the strongest. The blonde endured lethal blow after lethal blow that would have killed anyone else taking those hits and still coming back for more because that was the mission.

And when the mission was over?

When the blonde brought the Uchiha back?

It was then the Elder Gods found their rage reach its zenith!

The blonde boy was betrayed by those he trusted. His Godparents. The Sandaime Hokage who did not die like everyone first assumed. They saw how the boy had the truth revealed about how he was to be used by the village until his purpose came to an end, and would die. That the village's government official had feared his potential, his power, and what he would do wit hit if the truth was revealed.

And set him up to die publically at the hands of his own Father. A man who violated the pact in the first place with the Elder Gods and conspired with others around him to take control of a prophecy foretelling the revolution or destruction of the Shinobi way. How everyone close to the Yondaime Hokage believed him to be the "Child of Prophecy" and he had the power to change the world with Konoha being on top ruling it.

It infuriated the Elder Gods when seeing this disturbing truth brought to light. How dare these mere mortals try and influence a prophecy for their own benefit! These mortals of this realm believed this Yondaime Hokage was the "Child of Prophecy" was no more the chosen one then the Sannin who trained him. In fact, the "Child of Prophecy" the Sannin mentioned was actually the blonde haired blue eyed boy they were about to kill.

It was when the boy they had learned was named Naruto was about to be executed by his Father did the Elder Gods heard the boy's call, and making them remember what they did over one thousand years ago.

_**Elder Gods! Hear me! The contract you made with the mortal to seal up the Kyuubi inside me on the grounds of noble intentions has been violated! I call upon you now to honor your part of the contact to use your power to save this vessel from a death he does not deserve!**_

The Elder Gods saw the boy's body being burned, torn to shreds while being sucked into the portal meant to save him, and ultimately landing in Outworld before being dragged in front of Onaga: The Dragon King himself. They saw how the Dragon King was about to kill the boy, but stayed his hand, and decided to change the child into his loyal warrior.

A warrior he named...Shao Kahn.

A warrior, who made a promise, and vowed to keep that promise no matter what.

Even if he had to conqueror every realm in existence.

And the rest as they say...was history.

_**"This is...unprecedented,"**_ remarked one Elder God solemnly while staring into the eyes of Shao Kahn.

"Now you see the truth. Now you see why I do what I do. Why I have done all that I have done. I will not be cheated out of my revenge. Not by Raiden. Not by Quan Chi, Shinnok, or even you the Elder Gods. I made a promise long ago to crush those in that realm and I will keep it...one way or another!" replied Shao Kahn before he slowly began to stand.

_**"This has changed things,"**_ stated the female sounding Elder God.

_**"In what way? He violated the rules! Shao Kahn must be punished! Nothing exempts him from it even if his purpose is required to fulfill a prophecy!"**_ said another Elder God in anger.

_**"If anyone is to blame for Shao Kahn's actions thus far, then the blame should be placed ultimately on all of us. Due to our lack of action in not being more careful where we sent the boy when called to help him, he ended up as a servant of the Dragon King. Not only that, but the mortals of the Chakra Realm have become far too bold, believing they can do whatever they want without consequences. We also never did intervene when Uzumaki Naruto was being tortured by his own village in the Chakra Realm while he was growing up. If we had, things would have been different, Onaga would have never turned the boy into what he is now,"**_ replied the female Elder God while Shao Kahn saw the others nodding in agreement.

_**"Shao Kahn must still be punished. There is no denying that fact. However, given the circumstances being partially, if not entirely our fault for making his 'rebirth' under Onaga's rule happen, I think its only fair Shao Kahn does something that will benefit us all,"**_ said a third Elder God in a sagely tone.

"In what way?" asked Shao Kahn curiously.

_**"As it stands, you Shao Kahn have violated our rules, killed countless warriors, and conquered countless worlds in your pursuit of the one realm you were born from. The one realm you wish to return to in order to destroy those that betrayed your trust and those that follow them. While we do not denounce you for your actions, we cannot approve of them either, and thus we must find a balance where all parties benefit,"**_ said the elderly sounding Elder God.

_**"To that end, we believe that the best way to achieve justice for **__**ALL**__** sides, is to ensure you fulfill your original purpose as the 'Child of Prophecy', and send you back to the Chakra Realm. Your former home is on the brink of setting off Armageddon and they don't even know it because they are blind to their own greed. Even should we enter that realm, it puts us at risk of being sealed away, or someone there making a contract with us for some form of power. We tend to leave the Chakra Realm alone unless we have a necessary reason to interfere," **_said the female sounding Elder God having seen that realm's future.

_**"However, to ensure you are properly **__**punished**__** for your past crimes, we hereby ban you from leaving the Chakra Realm unless we require your assistance, or should your realm need to be defended by participating in a Mortal Kombat Tournament!"**_ said the angry sounding Elder God.

"Even if I agree to the terms, the betrayal happened well over a millennia ago. Everyone I know from that time are all dead," remarked Shao Kahn with frustration and anger in his voice.

_**"Actually, they are not dead. We have long since known about the potential behind the Chakra Realm soon after the Sage of Sixth Paths taught the world how to use chakra. To counter the developmental process of this realm from becoming too unstable or out of control, we used our power to slow time down considerably. A little over a millennia outside of the Chakra Realm is equal to six years within it,"**_ replied the female Elder God to the shock of Shao Kahn.

"So they are alive. All of them," remarked Shao Kahn off handedly while his mind began to process _exactly_ what that meant.

This meant his allies he had gained outside of Konoha. The various places that would no doubt welcome him with open arms once they heard of his return. He could build up an army, gather resources, form a new empire, and when the time was right...crush the Leaf along with the very country that funds it.

Konoha wanted to start an all out war to bring about its superiority? Shao Kahn was more then happy to grant them a war, but not the one they would want, and not one they would win. Oh no! Shao Kahn planned to bring upon them a war that will haunt the people of the Leaf to the end of their days and long after their wretched diseased souls were sent to the lowest parts of the Netherrealm to suffer for their crimes.

That would also mean...was she even alive? He needed to know. He must know!

_**"Do you accept the terms we have set for you Shao Kahn? Or would you prefer we call you Uzumaki Naruto now?"**_ asked one of the Elder Gods, who had yet to speak to him.

"I am Shao Kahn. Uzumaki Naruto's soul may reside within, but as far as the body that represented that weak boy is concerned...it no longer exists. As to your terms regarding my punishment...I accept," answered the former Emperor of Outworld before the ethereal chain that held him broke.

_**"We will open a portal to a place in the realm near a place you are familiar with and are on friendly terms,"**_ replied the female Elder God.

"Good. I will need time to recover my strength from the battle I had with all of you back in Earthrealm. There is also the issue regarding my former _Father_ holding the other half of the Biju's chakra. He should not have it within his body," replied Shao Kahn with the Elder Gods nodding in agreement.

_**"Agreed. It must be removed,"**_ said one Elder God in a firm tone.

"Bring him here. I'll rip it out of him myself. It does belong me after all," said Shao Kahn with a grin on his face.

_**"Very well,"**_ said another Elder God before they called upon their power and opened a portal that soon spat out a stunned Namikaze Minato.

"Ouch! What happened? One moment, I'm on the field of battle fighting Iwa Shinobi, and the next I'm...here? Where the Hell am I?!" asked Minato before he found himself bound in golden chains that held the man in place.

_**"You are in the Hall of the Elder Gods one Namikaze Minato. Do you know why you would be summoned to face us?" **_said a female Elder God with Minato struggling to get free, but was shocked with golden lightning from the chains.

"I don't know nor do I care. Do you not know who I am outside of my name? I am was once the Yondaime Hokage of Konoha. The Yellow Flash. I will not be bullied by so called Gods and deities for their sick amusement!" protested Minato while trying to draw on the fox's demonic chakra, but found it wasn't responding to him, and soon heard chuckling to his right.

"Its not fun being wrapped up in chains and hurt by those more powerful then you, is it Namikaze Minato?" mocked Shao Kahn while walking over to the struggling man.

"And you would be _who_ exactly?" asked Minato with a glare despite seeing this mountain of a man with an almost demonic looking face standing in front of him before getting hocked to the point where his legs gave out.

"Come now Namikaze Minato, formerly the Yondaime Hokage of Konoha. Surely you recognize your own _son_?" asked Shao Kahn while letting out a cruel chuckle when he saw Minato's eyes widen in shock and fear.

"No. No its not possible! Naruto is dead! We burned his body and saw it fade away into that portal. He was fatally injured. Even the Uzumaki bloodline limit couldn't have saved him for long," protested Minato in denial while Shao Kahn grabbed the man by the face and was staring him right in the eyes.

"I know its hard to believe, _Father_!Who would believe me? Who would believe that _I_ am your progeny. That I was once a skinny, malnourish, naive boy, who dreamed of one day being Hokage, and getting the _respect _I deserved. Oh yes, it has been quite some time since I was that frail little thing you called a son. A son you didn't want. A son you felt was not needed in your life. All so you could harness the power of your half of the fox's chakra sealed inside your gut to achieve more fame, power, and glory in the name of your _precious_ Konoha," replied Shao Kahn before letting go of the shocked man on his knees.

"So you've come for revenge just like you promised us," concluded Minato while Naruto let out a chuckle.

"You think I'm going to kill you here? That ending your life in this place will satisfy my desire to crush you and everyone like you? Don't make me laugh!" declared Shao Kahn with Minato looking confused.

"So...you're not going to kill me here?" asked Minato with Naruto smirking at him.

"No. I want you to return to Konoha. Let them know that Uzumaki Naruto is alive, well, and getting stronger. I want them and you to come at me with everything you've got!" said Shao Kahn while flexing his right hand before forming a fist.

"You would be foolish to not kill me here. When I get free from these chains, I'm going to show you _why_ was made Yondaime Hokage of Konoha," said Minato while tensing his body and getting ready to use his powers to put down his son once and for all.

"Yes. About that. You know the Kyuubi's chakra? The one half you have inside of you?" asked Shao Kahn with Minato's eyes going wide.

"Yeah. What of it?" questioned Minato with a hint of fear in his voice before he let out a gasp, followed by a scream of pain, and looked down in shock.

His son's massive hand was in his torso where the seal was located.

"I'm taking it back. It doesn't belong to you. It never did in the first place," replied Shao Kahn into the Shinobi's ear before he drew the fox's chakra out from the man and relished hearing Minato screaming out in agony.

When the process was over, Shao Kahn backed away from Minato, letting the power of the fox's other half wash over him, synchronizing with his power, which at one point was Kyuubi's first half before Onaga merging it with his body from the beginning. Now the two halves were whole again, healing Shao Kahn of his recent injuries, restoring his lost strength, and showing memories of the Yondaime Hokage's exploits during the man's six (in Chakra Realm) years.

Everything Namikaze Minato had ever done or was planning to do in the future was now known to Shao Kahn.

"You dumb bastard for a child! Don't you know what you've done?! What I had to go through to learn how to use that power properly? What that half of Kyuubi sealed inside of me did for the people of Konoha? What I was able to do exactly with its power under my direct command?!" demanded Minato while trying to get off the ground, but failed due to a large portion of his strength if not all of it had been drained by the tall man in front of him.

"You mean using the fox's chakra inside of you to reverse the aging process with the help of Senju Tsunade's skills in Medical Ninjutsu," replied Shao Kahn with Minato looking at him in surprise.

"H-How did you know?" asked Minato with Shao Kahn tapping the side of his head.

"Why, the memories from half of Kyuubi you sealed inside your body of course. Kyuubi was never the mindless beast you and everyone else saw him as Namikaze Minato. Not that it matters anymore since that power is now far out of your reach," replied Shao Kahn while he was enjoying the sight of Namikaze Minato glaring at him in rage before the man decided on addressing the Elder Gods.

"Don't you realize what he has done?! I am the 'Child of Prophecy' damn it! Even Gods must respect someone foretold in prophecies and ensure they happen," said Minato while the Elder Gods did not look amused.

_**"What you say is indeed true former Yondaime Hokage. However, **__**YOU**__** are not the 'Child of Prophecy' that was foretold would appear in your realm. But your **__**son**__** is," **_replied one of the Elder Gods to Minato's shock, horror, and fear before turning to face Shao Kahn who was laughing hysterically at him.

"Do you hear that my stupid Father? _I_ am the one the Toad Sage foretold about. Not you! Not Naruko! _ME_! And I already know how I want to proceed in dealing with the current way of the Shinobi in the Chakra Realm," replied Shao Kahn with his grin never leaving him.

"No. No you wouldn't!" exclaimed Minato, as he figured out what Shao Kahn planned to do, and wasn't going to allow it.

"I can and I will. Your time has past old man. You along with every Shinobi in Konoha and all of your allies will fall by my hands," replied Shao Kahn before a portal opened up several feet behind him and the chains holding Minato fell off the man.

_**"He can no longer stay here. Send him back to the Chakra Realm,"**_ commanded one of the Elder Gods and Shao Kahn grinned further.

"Give my best regards to my Mother and Naruko. I intend to see those two, along with Jiraiya, Hiruzen, Tsunade, Kakashi, and all the other power hungry traitors of my former home very soon," added Shao Kahn before throwing Minato, who was now screaming in protest after being launched into the portal.

_**"It is time,"**_ said the female Elder God firm yet kind tone.

Shao Kahn simply nodded, knowing he had to keep his end of the deal he made with the Elder Gods, and had every intention of doing it. It wasn't even a bad punishment for him actually. Sure he was going to be confined to one realm, but that didn't matter, and there was always a chance the Elder Gods might need his help one day. Or maybe the Chakra Realm would have to fight off another ambitious realm by means of Mortal Kombat and he could leave to participate in it. Either way, Shao Kahn had no intention of backing out of the deal, and fully intended to get his revenge on Konoha in the process.

With that thought in mind, the former Emperor of Outworld entered the portal, knowing it would take him to the realm he was born in, and would have to fight with all his being to win. Once the portal engulfed his body, it closed behind Shao Kahn, and an silence filled the Hall of the Elder Gods.

"I take it you sent Shao Kahn somewhere with solid ground to walk on?" asked Elder God Argus, as he appeared in his physical form in front of the other Elder Gods.

_**"Yes. I sent him to the first place to ever acknowledged his existence in life as a person. As Uzumaki Naruto. With any luck, the people there can bring the noble side of him out once more,"**_ replied the female Elder God while Argus nodded his head.

"And you also saw what I did regarding Wave Country in the Chakra Realm. How they are losing the war with Fire Country's forces after years of the two fighting within the political arena. Even now, I see the army of Konoha Shinobi have slowly yet successfully oppressed the country's populace there, and they have finished renaming the bridge after the traitorous boy, Uchiha Sasuke. The one Naruto brought back which resulted in his near execution," replied Argus, as he saw a lot of Shang Tsung, and Quan Chi in Uchiha Sasuke with their love for betraying others or going back on their word.

_**"We must believe that the soul of Uzumaki Naruto will balance out the cruel entity that Onaga turned him into all those ages ago. It is still there. We have all seen it within his mind," **_said the female Elder God.

"Agreed. Now if you will excuse me, I must head back to Outworld, and prepare for my sons to arrive," replied Argus, as he like the other Elder Gods had seen more then just the fragments of the future like Raiden did through his amulet, and needed to prepare for the war that was to come.

Just because Armageddon was averted, didn't mean the sons of Elder God Argus wouldn't be causing their own brand of trouble.

(Chakra Realm-Near Wave Country)

The portal behind Shao Kahn closed behind him. Looking around, he recognized the path in front of him, and his location was near where his old team had walked to get to Wave Country. Feeling his instincts pulling him toward this place, Shao Kahn headed for the country that embraced him like he was family. However, a sudden realization made him stop, as he looked at himself, and realized that his appearance screamed hostile, and his face wasn't exactly the most friendliest one you can meet on a bright sunny day.

He needed to hide his appearance...for now anyway.

As luck would have it, bandits had made camp in the woods near him. Their boasting and loud voices drew him to them with curiosity along with the opportunity of possibly taking what these fools had for himself. A cloak perhaps to hide his visage. Maybe money they stole from a caravan. While Shao Kahn had no need for monetary wealth for himself, he did see the need for it in making certain infrastructures of various realms function, and knew it would be required here in this realm.

"You see the bounty we got here? That caravan from Fire Country was loaded with loot!" boasted one bandit while drinking his sake.

"Yeah! It was suppose to be used to fund the war its having with Wave Country. They've been having issues with each other politically, but now the Fire Daimyo is tired of talks in getting Wave annexed into its territory," replied another bandit with a smirk on his face.

"Not surprising. Wave Country is an island country, but has lots of resources ripe for the plucking. If Fire Country takes Wave, they'll increase their treasury in wealth, and riches that are _five times_ what we got here. _At least!_" said the Bandit Leader while showing the large pile of wealth in their possession.

"How are we going to transport all this loot? There are only so many us and the bags will weigh us down," asked one bandit before he was smacked in the back of the head.

"Baka! We have these sealing scrolls. Did you forget that Mizuki here is a former Leaf Shinobi?" said the Bandit Leader while patting Mizuki on the back.

'Mizuki? Here?!' thought Shao Kahn, as memories of the fool, the time at the Academy, and then later when the Chuunin tricked him into taking the Forbidden Scroll.

"Why did you leave? I mean, Konoha is stronger then ever! The Yondaime Hokage came back. So did his wife, their daughter, and a whole bunch of the village's powerhouses," said one bandit while Mizuki sneered.

"Because the Yondaime Hokage wouldn't promote me after I was released from jail. I was among the people who beat the demon brat up the most when it was younger and I worked harder then anyone at the Academy to ensure its growth was stunted. And how did the man reward me for my troubles after I was let out of jail? I get a pat on the back, a mere congratulations, and a small pay increase that doesn't even cover how much I had suffered while in prison. Not only _that_, but in the years following my release, I couldn't advance in rank. I was denied each time! When I finally demanded my promotion, plus years back pay for my past suffering...the fools in power threatened to throw me back in jail," answered Mizuki while Shao Kahn slowly narrowed his eyes in the shadows.

"Wow! Years of loyal service and they wouldn't even promote you for it? That's cold!" said one bandit in sympathy.

"They said I would be promoted when the time was right. The time was right when I got out of jail!" exclaimed Mizuki furiously while shaking his fists in anger.

"Aside from that, there had to be something else. I can tell from the angry look in your eyes," said another bandit while Mizuki sighed.

"I also hit on Iruka's slutty looking girlfriend. Mitarashi Anko. She was Orochimaru of the Sannin's first student he ever took on as an apprentice," replied Mizuki spitefully.

"Really? Wow! I've seen her picture in that Bingo Book of yours. She's hot!" said the Bandit Leader with Mizuki smirking.

"Why do you think I hit on her? I tried to get between her legs, but all she wants is to be with Iruka. Bah! As if the man knows what to do with a slutty woman like that between the sheets. When she turned me down, I forced myself on her, but the bitch fought me off. Can you believe it? The damn slut refused me! She'll spread her legs for that twig for a man Iruka, but not me! I had to flee before I the Hokage could throw my ass back in jail again," explained Mizuki before he along with the bandits heard a cruel laughter.

"Its been along time Mizuki. The years have not been kind to you it seems. Especially if you are hanging around with pathetic band of bandits like this group," remarked Shao Kahn, as he came out of the shadows, and stared at the man who once tormented him as a child while growing up in the village.

One of many tormentors he was going to enjoy killing.

"Who the Hell are you?" demanded Mizuki while he along with everyone else within the bandit camp was standing and brought out their weapons.

"You don't recognize me? I don't have a familiar look to you? I know its been many years Mizuki, but even you should be able to 'look underneath the underneath' like all Konoha Shinobi Academy Instructors tend to teach their students. Though if memory serves me well, you kicked me out of that class that day, and on the charge of tapping my pencil too fast on my desk," replied Shao Kahn with Mizuki's eyes narrowing in thought before they went wide with horror.

"No. You are...You are...it can be you! IT CAN'T! THEY SAID YOU DIED!" exclaimed Mizuki with Shao Kahn now grinning evilly.

"That's it Mizuki. Look into my eyes. See past the crimson glow. Look deep within me and you will see the truth," replied Shao Kahn and let out a chuckle.

"Who is this guy Mizuki?" demanded the Bandit Leader.

"Its the Kyuubi brat! Its Uzumaki Naruto!" Mizuki practically shouted while Shao Kahn's grin increased.

"You are partially right Mizuki. I _was_ the Kyuubi brat. I _was_ Uzumaki Naruto. Past tense. I go by the name Shao Kahn now and as for Kyuubi...we've merged completely into one single entity," replied Shao Khan while walking toward the stunned group of bandits.

"So you're a demon now huh? I always knew you were deep down. Now your change just proves me and everyone in Konoha right! You are a freak! A monster!" declared Mizuki in the hopes it would somehow break what he believed was the former Konoha Shinobi's still fragile mind.

All he got was a cruel laugh from Shao Kahn.

"You know in another lifetime, I would have denied that statement. In another lifetime, I would have shouted out denials, spouted on about being Hokage one day regardless of what you, or anyone else thought. But after all I've been through since leaving Konoha and what I've done since my escape from the Leaf village...I honestly can't deny your words. I am a demon now. I am a monster. And this monster...this demon that stands before you...it _hungers_ for human souls! Just. like. _yours_!" replied Shao Kahn with the bandits and Mizuki looking at him fearfully for a moment before the latter tried to rally the others.

"We can take him! I know the brat. He was a baka growing up and no doubt he is a baka now. We're fighting one monster and we are many. We can win!" exclaimed Mizuki with the bandits looking like they had regained some courage and began to charge Shao Kahn.

'Fools! Compared to fighting Raiden and the Elder Gods together, this won't even be a challenge,' thought Shao Kahn, as he summoned his Wrath Hammer to his hand in an instant, and charged the group of bandits.

The bandits were instantly overwhelmed by the brutality of Shao Kahn's strength, power, and overall skills with the Wrath Hammer. Whoever he didn't hit with the weapon was sent flying back by a massive kick or punch to any bandit that was in his crosshairs. The bandits themselves were surprised, as they didn't expect someone of Shao Kahn's size to move so fast, or to dodge their attacks so easily! Everything Shao Kahn hit, he destroyed in a single blow, and sent many bandits flying back with a few of their limbs missing in the process.

'This is impossible! Uzumaki Naruto is a weak shrimp, who wears orange, eats ramen, and doesn't know a thing about the world around him! Not this...this...monster from the pits of Hell!' thought Mizuki, as he saw the bandits being slaughter, and decided to cut his losses by running.

Only to find himself pinned to a tree by the should when he was hit by a spear made up of green energy. Crying out in pain, Mizuki tried to free himself from the tree, but couldn't remove it, and saw Shao Kahn had just slammed his foot right through the bandit leader's chest with a sickening _"CRUNCH!" _echoing throughout the area. By this point, Mizuki had decided to actually look at giant man to see his overall appearance. Uzumaki Naruto or Shao Kahn as he now called himself was wearing a loin cloth, covered by some cloth in the from while at the sides had side almost reptilian looking armor plating that went down to the hips. He had spiked shoulder pads, similarly designed kneepads and gauntlets, and a skull medallion embedded in two straps that intersect across his chest. Mizuki looked at the man's face and saw the former Kyuubi brat no longer had his recognizable blonde hair or blue eyes. He was in fact bald with a slightly demonic face featuring red eyes and small spikes protruding from his head that made Mizuki shiver in fear. It only increased when Shao Kahn walked slowly toward him with bloodlust clearly showing in his eyes.

"How does it feel Mizuki? How does it feel to be on the receiving end of pain? How does it feel to be the weak sniveling worm wiggling around in pain at the hands of your enemy and receiving no mercy? Pain is no longer fun for you, is it fool? You more then once beat Uzumaki Naruto within an inch of his life any chance you got. You laughed at his suffering. How does it feel to be the one being laughed at?" mocked Shao Kahn before grabbing Mizuki by the face and slammed his head back against the tree.

Hard!

In fact, it was hard enough to that the impact embedded Mizuki's head in deep within the tree trunk by several inches.

'What is he? Even for a demon, he shouldn't be this strong. The Yondaime himself told the village that the demon would never regain a fraction of its lost power so long as he lived,' thought Mizuki while struggling with his free hand to grasp the massive wrist connected to the massive hand putting pressure on his head.

"You can feel it. Can't you Mizuki? Closing in around you? The inky darkness seeping in while life leaves your body? I have felt that many times in my life. Some of them by your hands. Other times by Konoha Shinobi and civilians thinking they have a right to rip into my flesh with their weapons of choice. Now you will know Mizuki. Now you will know what it means to suffer...as I have suffered," said Shao Kahn while Mizuki whimpered in fear while pleading with the former Emperor of Outworld with his eyes.

"Mercy! Mercy!" pleaded Mizuki behind the giant hand while Shao Kahn's grin left his face and it turned into one of pure fury.

"Mercy? You _DARE_ ask _ME_ for _mercy_?! How many times did _Uzumaki Naruto_ beg for mercy when he was attacked? Huh?! You and the other fools in Konoha laughed at him. 'Look at the demon begging for mercy!' 'Look how the demon cries from the pain we are putting him through!' WHY SHOULD I SHOW SOMEONE LIKE _YOU_ AN OUNCE OF MERCY, KNOWING YOU WOULDN'T DO THE SAME IN MY PLACE?! TELL ME!" demanded Shao Kahn while Mizuki was panicking and sweating heavily.

"Because you want to rise above your enemies?" offered Mizuki while Shao Kahn's face once more sporting an evil grin.

"Rise above my enemies? Why rise above my enemies...when I can just crush them into the ground so I will always be above them?" asked Shao Kahn while Mizuki's fear had now increased a hundred fold.

The entire area was soon filled with screams, as Shao Kahn unleashed his fury, his rage, and built up aggression against one of the many targets the former Emperor of Outworld planned on destroying in the years to come. When he finished hours later, Shao Kahn left the mangled corpse of a horrified looking Mizuki for the animals to eat, and walked back to the heart of the bandit's camp. Looking around, the demonic man found himself a large brown cloak of sorts, and wrapped it around his body before sealing away the spoils of the bandit's thievery. With his Father no doubt telling the rest of Konoha about his return and what he looked like, Shao Kahn knew his current attire would quickly turn the heads of the people around him before someone from Jiraiya's spy network informed the Toad Sannin of his location.

So for now...he would simply be a large figure in a crowd.

But first...Shao Kahn needed to head for Wave Country immediately. His _true home_ in this realm needed to be defended.

(A/N: YAY! Another chapter for you guys. Its much longer as you can tell and for good reason. I have A LOT of school coming my way so I need to redirect ALL my time to do that for one class and possibly one more depending on what tomorrow brings. So it might be a LONG time before I update any of my fics for quite awhile. So please don't me man. Until next time...PEACE!)


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4-Brutallity of Waves

Shao Kahn made his way to Wave Country at a quick, but moderate pace while walking on the road to the home he always wanted. His brown cloak covered his entire body and using some ropes tied around his waist, he made it seem like he was just a simple monk or priest of some order despite his overly large size. No one would question him on the matter and he could always lie if asked what Order he came from. If worse came to worse he could call himself a Shadow Priest of Outworld. No one knew what Outworld was and he could easily lie and say it was a far away Kingdom...which it was!

His former Kingdom to be exact.

After what seemed like hours, Shao Kahn stopped at a hill along the path to see the once _Great Naruto_ _Bridge _had been changed into the _Great Uchiha Sasuke Bridge_. And boy was it different from what it had been when Shao Kahn had been that naive blonde hair, blued eyed boy named Naruto. The overall structure was the same, but now the bridge was sporting poles in the front, the middle, and end of the bridge with flags at the top. Each pole had a different colored flag on it with each flag sporting either the Uchiha Fan Symbol, Konoha's Leaf Symbol, or the Namikaze Clan Symbol. The middle of the bridge on either side of it now sported a statue of Uchiha Sasuke himself in an arrogant manner of superiority. Like he was a God that deserved to be worshipped and feared like one while hoping he would bless rather then curse you for being within speaking distance of him.

'What a pompous ass. At least my statues were worth admiring and some were magically enhanced to defend my Palace,' thought Shao Kahn while heading to the bridge, but was stopped by a group of Konoha Shinobi, and it was clear they were cautious of his sudden appearance.

As they should be given who they were stopping.

"Hold! Who are you?" asked Genma if what Shao Kahn remembered from the Chuunin Exams with the man having a senbon needle in his mouth.

"I am a simple monk seeking a place to rest from my weary travels. Judging by the way you are so cautious of my presence, I have come at bad time," replied Shao Kahn under his disguise while fighting back the urge to kill these Konoha Shinobi with just his bare hands.

"No. Not really. Its just the land you are about to enter has just fallen to Fire Country and there is word of unrest. You may enter, but be mindful of the populace being unfriendly to outsiders, and our own forces occupying it. While I don't believe you will cause any problems, you will be closely watched by our Shinobi, and ask that you not cause trouble while here," explained Genma with Shao Kahn nodding behind his robed hood.

"I understand. I will not make waves where they are unwanted," replied Shao Kahn with some of the Shinobi around him let out a chuckle.

"Not make waves. That's a good one considering what the name of the country here use to be called before we took it over," said Genma before slapping Shao Kahn on the arm before wincing and shaking his hand like he had just punched steel.

"Sorry about that. Like my size suggests, I am well muscled, and capable of defending myself. However, I am also facially disfigured, and will need to keep my hood over my face to ensure I don't upset any children that cross my way," explained Shao Kahn while seeing Genma nodding in understanding.

"I understand. Though you might want to stay away from the new execution ground we setup since we are going to be using it soon," warned Genma with Shao Kahn narrowing his eyes behind his hood.

"Oh! Why? Who is meeting their end in the cycle of life?" asked Shao Kahn while seeing Genma's smirk growing.

"Just finishing off this goody goody family that ironically hired out to us years ago to protect the bridge builder named Tazuna, who built this massive thing behind us. The old geezer led the charge against Konoha when we told these demon lovers to change the name of the bridge to what it is now. He and his family wouldn't listen to reason like the rest of the populace so we had the old man killed two years ago. We're finishing off his daughter and grandson in a few days using the very same execution grounds the business tycoon Gato once used when he ruled here," said Genma with the hooded figure nodding.

"I see. I might visit the execution grounds during the day they are to die. If only to say a small prayer for them. I trust they are not being harmed before the execution? The sight of them harmed or injured before their deaths could make the crowd go..._wild _with rage!" replied Shao Kahn and felt his own rage rising within him while standing here.

"No. We have them properly restrained and sedated for the most part. The boy, Inari I think his name is, has become more resistant to the drugs. I think he suspects something and doesn't eat as much of the food laced with the stuff put in it," answered Genma with the robed figure nodding.

"I'll be going then. Thank you for your time," replied Shao Kahn before bowing slightly and walked across the bridge with the Shinobi around him giving his body the needed space.

"Nice guy," remarked one Konoha Shinobi wearing a Chuunin vest.

"Yeah. I just wish his body wasn't so massive. Hurt my hand on his arm when I gave him that friendly hit," remarked Genma before wincing when he felt his hand throb and the other Leaf Shinobi laughed.

They had no idea who or what they just let through.

As for Shao Kahn, he was so tempted to summon his Wrath Hammer, and smash down everything that supported Konoha. From the statues of Sasuke, to the poles holding the flags, and finally the Leaf Shinobi hiding. Or like to think they were hiding. Not all of them were lurking in the shadows. Some stood out in public arrogantly, almost like they were saying "I'm so strong I don't need to hide from the likes of you weaklings!" to the native populace.

Such arrogance.

Shao Kahn ignored the Konoha Shinobi watching him with watchful eyes among the people of Wave, who didn't look happy in the slightest, but were showing signs of depression like they did when Gato was around. The only real difference between then and now was the people were not starving for food, but it was clear that might change with the way things were going with the Leaf Shinobi possibly taking the majority of the towns food to keep themselves well fed while here. It made sense, as they would only get stronger physically while the people of Wave withered, and for those that did not submit in time...would die.

Stopping at a nearby shop, Shao Kahn entered to find it was a shop filled with weapons, and he was surprised that such a shop was still open. Considering Wave was now under the occupation of Konoha Shinobi, it would stand to reason such a shop would be closed, or confiscated by the enemy for the supplies it held.

"Can I help you," said an Elderly Man behind the counter.

"I'm curious about your store's...choice of wares," replied Shao Kahn with the elderly man smirking.

"And the fact it exists while Wave Country has been invaded by the Konoha scum that killed our hero," added the elderly man.

"That too. How is this possible? You don't seem like a Shinobi and there is no Genjutsu on your shop," said Shao Kahn with the elderly man's smirk not leaving.

"Simple. They let me keep my shop," answered the Elderly Man.

"Why?" asked Shao Kahn while wondering if this man was a Fire Country loyalist.

"Because I don't sell my goods to the people here. Not _officially_ anyway. They agreed to let me keep my shop open on the condition that I don't sell to my fellow countrymen. I sell my goods to anyone loyal to Konoha, Fire Country, or someone else they allow to enter the country so long as what I make them isn't a weapon to be used against Konoha Shinobi," replied the Elderly Man while Shao Kahn nodded behind his hood.

"So as long as you don't sell a weapon to a citizen of Wave Country or a third party not part of Konoha's military force they leave you alone," surmised Shao Kahn with the man in front of him nodding.

"That's about sums it up. Now before I try to sell anything to you, I need to ask the one of the following questions. Are you a citizen of Wave Country?" questioned the old man.

"No," replied Shao Kahn.

"So you are a third party in these lands. In that case, are you looking to buy a weapon to possibly use against Konoha Shinobi?" asked the old man curiously.

"No," replied Shao Kahn.

"Really? That's a shame. Well since you aren't going to buy weapons, I suggest you look around, and see if anything catches your fancy," said the old store keeper while his soon to be possible customer looked around.

"Now that you mention it, I was actually curious about something regarding your wares, and hoping your answer is the one I get," replied Shao Kahn while looking over some of the items in stock.

"What is that?" asked the old man curiously.

"Do you do custom jobs? Did you make any of these?" asked Shao Kahn with the old man nodding.

"Yeah. I did quite a bit of work back in the day. Some of these are pretty old, but in good shape, and I can still make some good items if I know what the customer wants," replied the elder shopkeeper.

"Good. I have something I want you to make for me. Do you have something I could use to draw and show you exactly what I want?" offered Shao Kahn with the man nodding and producing a pencil and drawing parchment before the massive giant began drawing what he wanted.

The old man whistled at the design when handed to him.

"That's one scary looking helmet," commented the old shopkeeper.

"Its a drawing of the exact same one I had until recently with a few minor modifications. It was damaged in a..._fight_ with a stronger opponent. Can you make it?" replied Shao Kahn with the old shopkeeper looking at it with a critical eye.

"Well...I have half of what I need in the back if I use part of a samurai helmet I got from Iron Country. Good quality too. None of that cheap stuff either. This front part along the face area looks like its bone, which I don't have, nor the kind of bone you would probably want that has the strength to endure any punishment it might receive in a fight. The only thing I can really do is use heavy compressed steel in its place, which would take time in putting together in this design to make given my old age. _BUT_, I think I can get it ready for you in say about...two...maybe three days tops. _Provided_ of course, I don't have any other customers seeking my services for a custom job," answered the old man with Shao Kahn nodding and went to a sealing scroll behind his robes and brought out a large bag filled with _lots_ of gold coins that overflowed once opened.

"All of this is yours..._IF_ you make it with the finest materials and get it to me three days or less from now," replied Shao Kahn with the old man looking shocked at the sight of such wealth.

"That is uh..._a lot_ of money. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you aren't your average monk or priest. Are you?" said the old shop keeper.

"I never said I was either of those things," countered Shao Kahn.

"True. You just wear robes so I assumed you were," replied the old man.

"Can you make it in the time I require?" asked Shao Kahn with the old man nodding.

"I have the materials. Some of the best around. After the bridge was first built, business in Wave Country went through the roof, and I got in on the ground floor. I have quality stuff in the back that would suit your needs just fine," replied the old shopkeeper while Shao Kahn nodded.

"Here's your payment. Half now. Half later upon completion," replied Shao Kahn while taking out half of what was in the bag if not a little bit more then intended before closing it back up.

"I'll close up shop so I can get to work on this right away. Where do I find you when its finished?" asked the old shopkeeper curiously.

"Do you know Tazuna and his family?" asked Shao Kahn with the old man nodding.

"Yeah. Great family. Tazuna was an old drinking buddy of mine...before he died. Why?" questioned the elderly man.

"I'll be staying at their house...provided its still standing," answered Shao Kahn with the old man looking serious.

"Tsunami and Inari are being detained. They are scheduled for execution in three days. I don't mind a heavy paying customer, but if you are going to live in their home while they suffer, then I will respectfully decline making this for you, and taking your money too," said the old shopkeeper, who believed in principles, and wasn't about to forsake a good old friend along with his family so someone could live in their house while he made a strange demonic looking helmet.

"You misunderstand. I was a good friend Tazuna and I would like to think I still am a good friends to Tsunami and Inari. Even if it has been many years we last saw each other when the bridge was finally finished," replied Shao Kahn while the old shopkeeper now narrowed his eyes.

"The day the bridge was finished was when the people of Wave Country said goodbye to that Konoha team Tazuna hired. You couldn't possibly have been there," countered the elderly man.

"Oh but I was there. I was there to see Inari cry tears of joy...rather then tears of sorrow," replied Shao Kahn with the shopkeepers eyes widen, but narrow again while trying to pierce the shadows of the hood.

"Only the people of Wave Country and that team of Konoha Shinobi know about that! You aren't the silver haired Cyclops or that pompous ass Uchiha. You're certainly not that pink haired eyesore of a girl who was said to screech should someone insult the Uchiha," the old shopkeeper accused while in his mind a sliver of hope on who this was began to form.

"Leaving only one other person," said Shao Kahn before letting out a chuckle behind his hooded robes and it made the shopkeepers eyes widen at the unspoken answer.

"That boy died. Painfully! Konoha said as much. They ripped his body to shreds and was said to have been burned until there was nothing but ashes left to be scattered into the wins," accused the old man with Shao Kahn shaking his head no.

"Reports of my demise were greatly exaggerated. I did not die. I endured. I survived. I changed with the environment. I walked through fire, death, battles, wars, and chaos itself. I have done so many things in my time away. Things you could not even begin to imagine. But now I have returned and I intend to get my revenge on those who betrayed me that day," replied Shao Kahn with the old shopkeeper nodding with wide eyes.

"I believe you. I can hear it in your voice. You are him. Our hero has returned to us. At long last!" exclaimed the old man with joy.

"I will save Tsunami and Inari from their impending death. But I will need your help do it by making this helmet. When I fight to free them, this helmet will be an instrument to bring about fear, and terror to the hearts of my enemies...before I rip said hearts out with my bare hands," explained Shao Kahn with the old shopkeeper nodding.

"I'll get right on this. Hell, I'll even do it for free," offered the old man, but the giant man in robes shook his head.

"While I am pleased by the offer, it is only fair I compensate you for your time," replied Shao Kahn with the old shopkeeper nodding.

"All right. Just...kill that one Jounin guarding the bridge with that needle in his mouth. He was the one who Tazuna. I saw it myself," stated the old shopkeeper.

"The Jounin is already dead. He just doesn't know it yet. See you in a few days old man," replied Shao Kahn before leaving the shop to find the home of the family that treated him like a person.

(Tazuna's House)

The home was just like the former Konoha Shinobi turned former Emperor of Outworld remembered it after all these years. He was a bit surprised to see it standing though, as the Konoha Shinobi, who killed Tazuna, and took his family let it stand. Shao Kahn theorized that they did this because they weren't ready to destroy it just yet or they were going to hold onto the land around the house for some snooty Fire Country Noble to buy before tearing it down or perform renovations.

Whatever the case, it was his temporary home now until he could free Tsunami, and Inari from their intended execution a few days from now. He would need those days to prepare himself, see where his strength level was at, and what exactly he had at his disposal. Shao Kahn knew right away the answer to his question was his powers, his speed, strength, and the agility it possessed despite his overall size. The Wrath Hammer, which he had used on many occasions was in his hand now, the blood from the bandits killed still somewhat fresh, and needed to be cleaned off.

Walking into the home, the former Emperor of Outworld looked around, seeing signs of a struggle had happened in this house when the Leaf Shinobi came. Some blood was on the wall and floor. A broken glass and plate were on the ground not far. Kunai and shuriken holes proving the weapons were thrown here.

Shao Kahn would definitely see to it that those Leaf Shinobi here, currently occupying the land of Wave Country suffered greatly. Oh yes. They were going to suffer greatly indeed.

(Execution Grounds-Three Days Later)

A robed figure, looking like a large yet humble monk, or priest with his hood on was walking toward the area where two people were going to die today. A young teenage boy and his Mother. He heard the growing crowd behind the fence where the executions were going to happen. The people were getting into a frenzy. They were shouting, spitting, and cursing the Konoha Shinobi behind the fence at the injustice of it all.

The robed figure merely stood back, watching things from behind the mob, as he saw a Konoha Jounin currently standing between the two soon to be executed people. When the robed figure looked at the Jounin, he instantly went ramrod straight, and instantly knew who this person was despite the years away.

'So they made him Jounin now. Hard to imagine. I guess with his success in betraying my trust and hating me for years must have warranted the fool to get promoted,' thought the figure while clenching his hands into fists.

Umino Iruka. Former Chuunin and Konoha Academy Instructor of the Leaf.

And beside him? Special Jounin and his lover Mitarashi Anko. The woman was wearing the same damn thing she always wore. Trench coat, fishnet shirt, and short skirt that did little to hide her female form.

"Let's get this show on the road Iruka. We have a schedule to keep," barked Anko while Iruka nodding and moved to address the angry crowd while Leaf Shinobi were forming a line of defense should the fence setup to keep the people back was knocked down by the protesting populace.

"People of what was once Wave Country. We are here today to carry out an execution in the name of justice!" declared Iruka while the crowd got angry.

"Justice? More like _injustice_!" protested one person in the crowd.

"These two criminals have been found guilty of crimes against Konoha, its Hokage, and Fire Country as a whole," continued Iruka and saw the fence being shaken.

"You're the criminals. You invaded our home. You're no better then Gato!" protested a second person.

"For refusing a simple request and loving an evil demon. It has been decided that in order to save the souls of these two people...they must be put to death!" concluded Iruka and the crowd got even more rowdy.

"Murderers!" yelled a third.

"Backstabbers!" cried out a fourth.

"You are the real demons and monsters! Naruto was a hero to the people of Wave. And you had him murdered because he wouldn't be your pawn like my dad Kaiza! Like my Grandfather!" came a voice that was surprisingly from Inari and those among the crowd heard it was making the mob of people very rowdy.

"You sealed your Fate boy. Kill him first!" commanded Iruka with the ANBU in front of Inari and kneeing him in the gut before bringing out his tanto.

"No! Someone do something!" protested Tsunami, as she had been silent the entire, but to see her only child about to die was too much, and it brought back the memory of when she along with Inari were saved by Naruto.

But Naruto was gone. No one could save them again.

Before the masked ANBU could do anything, a spear of green energy flew through the fence, hit the Konoha Shinobi straight in the chest, and sent the man flying several feet before stopping dead. In that moment, all protests, shouts, and orders from everyone went silent at what was just witnessed by everybody there. Following the trajectory of the projectile, everyone soon turned their heads to the large, robed, and hood covered figure with his arm currently outstretched like he had thrown a spear or javelin.

"I think its time someone put you Konoha Shinobi in your place. Somewhere underneath the soil and dirt seems appropriate," remarked the robed figure while walking forward and the mob of people let him without protest.

"You have some balls to do that. I'm going to enjoy cutting them off before killing you along side our victims," said Anko with a grin and kunai in hand.

The robed figure said nothing. Just stood in front of the fence for a moment and some of the people wondered if the man behind the robes lost his nerve. That line of thought was shot down when a pair of large hands from within the robes grabbed the fence and tore it apart like it was tissue paper. Stepping through, the figure found himself surrounded on all sides by Konoha Shinobi with their swords, and kunai drawn for battle.

"Care to tell us your name before you die here today?" asked Iruka with the figure letting out a cruel laugh that echoed throughout the area.

"Telling you my name wouldn't matter. After today, almost all of you here won't be alive long enough to speak it, let alone tell your pathetic Hokage about my existence," replied the figure while Leaf Shinobi bristled and tensed with anger.

"Kill him!" commanded Anko with the Konoha Shinobi around her moving swiftly to kill the fool that insulted the Gondaime Hokage.

No one expected the figure to move so fast, given his size, and rough outlined shape with the heavy robes of a monk or priest. But they underestimated him and it cost the attackers dearly, as he clothesline one Shinobi, spun on his heel, dodging a tanto to the back before kneeing another one, and backhanded the second attacker who tried to stab him with the sword. Seeing her chance, Anko used her Many Hidden Shadow Snake Hands to try and trapping the cloaked figure. But she was caught by surprise when the figure dodged the line of snakes before grabbing them all swiftly with his cloaked arm, and crushed them with his clearly superior strength.

"Sealed Bomb Square Release!" exclaimed Iruka, as he had used this time to prepare this attack and trap the enemy within this quite literally explosive prison before killing him.

"Looks like we win," remarked Anko confidently with a smirk on her face.

"And how do you figure that?" questioned the robed figure.

"This is a barrier seal of sorts. A deadly one. See Iruka over there? One hand sign from him and your barrier becomes a bomb. One that will destroy you. If you try to move, you get the same result, and your remains go flying," explained Anko with the figure looking around to see the Konoha Shinobi he knocked down were starting to get up, but were badly injured from each hit.

"Is this suppose to mean something? Your little attempt to frighten me into surrendering? To beg for mercy?" questioned the unafraid figure while Anko's smirk lessened over the fact this guy wasn't begging for mercy.

"Considering the alternative is being dead and in multiple pieces," replied Anko, as she walked toward him, but stopped when the figure let out a cruel chuckle.

"You and that fool Iruka underestimate me. Konoha Shinobi always did when I was there as a child," remarked the figure before surprising everyone and walking toward Anko.

Before the seals went off and the explosion covering the area with enough force to send Konoha Shinobi along with some of the populace of Wave Country flying back. When the smoke cleared, everyone saw that the figure was surprisingly standing unharmed. His robes were charred, burned, tattered, and ready to fall off while blowing against a sudden wind.

"He shouldn't be standing. That should have killed him!" exclaimed Iruka in shock while the figure walked out of the smoke and slowly grabbed the tattered destroyed robes on his body before ripping them off.

"Honestly, I expected more out of you Iruka. Apparently, your skills are not worthy of the promotion to Jounin like I first thought," mocked the figure before summoning a large sledge hammer to his hand out of nowhere.

"How did he summon a weapon?" asked one of the injured ANBU while seeing it appear almost out of nowhere.

"And why do you talk to me as if I've met you before? I don't know you," said Iruka with the massive figure of seemingly solid muscle walking toward him and Anko.

"You once gave me something under the false pretense of friendship. Before that, you hated me for something that another did, and who I was connected to since the day I was born. Ring any bells now?" hinted the figure while Iruka narrowed his eyes, but Anko's was clearly piecing things together much faster then him, and it was clear she'd figure it out soon.

"I've never hated anyone from Konoha in my life. Not even Mizuki when he betrayed the village," said Iruka with the figure stopping and frowned at him behind the mask while crimson red eyes glowed angrily.

"Look into my eyes Iruka. Don't they have a familiar look to them. The ones you saw as a child. The ones you saw while your parents were being _killed _that night!" exclaimed the figure and smiled again when Iruka's eyes widened in surprise before it slowly dawned on the man.

"No! No its impossible! Its impossible!" whispered Iruka in denial while his breathing had now gone heavy with shock and horror all over his face.

"What? What is it Iruka?" demanded Anko while she stared between them with confusion if only a slight bit of it.

"You still don't recognize me? And here I thought the crazy snake bitch would piece it all together by now before Iruka did. Clearly, the only thing you are good for is spreading your legs for Iruka. Just like Mizuki said...right before I killed him with my bare hands," mocked the figure while Anko and Iruka looked shocked.

"You killed Mizuki? When?!" demanded Iruka angrily with the figure smirking at him.

"A few days ago not far from Wave Country. He was aiding a group of bandits in raiding a caravan of its riches and said quite a few choice words about you two...before I killed him," answered the figure and it was clear Iruka wasn't taking it well.

"You monster! You demon! I should have just let Mizuki kill you in the forest when he had the chance back then!" exclaimed Iruka before drawing his weapon in anger.

"And risk the _real_ demon escaping from my body? As much as you hated me for being a living prison Iruka...we both know you hated the idea of Kyuubi getting out even more," replied the figure with Iruka gritting his teeth and Anko's eyes going wide in shock before she got into a more deadlier fighting stance.

"Uzumaki Naruto, for abandoning your duties to Konoha, and threatening its stability you are to be put to death!" ordered Anko with the people behind the giant man looking at him in shock that their hero had returned.

Almost instantly the crowd behind him roared to life, calling out to protect their hero, to quickly overpower the Konoha Shinobi with their greater numbers.

"Stay where you are! This is my fight and mine alone!" commanded the giant man firmly with the people of Wave looking surprised by the order.

"Why? We want to help you! To repay you for all you've done!" protested one person.

"You deserve our help!" added another person.

"We can help you take down these pieces of Konoha trash together!" cried out a third while the people were getting more rowdy.

"Do as I say! If anyone is going to take down these piece of Konoha trash, it will be me!" commanded the giant of a man before walking forward.

"Not too bright gaki. You may have gotten bigger and packing more muscle, but you are still the same klutzy dimwitted Uzumaki Naruto that didn't know a pencil from a kunai growing up," said Anko mockingly while the figure in front of her began generate a lot of power.

"Then you need your eyes checked. I am no longer Uzumaki Naruto. Konoha was able to successfully kill him years ago through the power of their so called 'Will of Fire' it has embraced since its founding. I am what he became from the ashes of that fire. You may call me..._Shao Kahn_!" replied Shao Kahn before he moved in a blur of speed and was hit by a shoulder tackle that sent her into one of the wooden poles used to hold tied up soon to be executed criminals.

"Anko!" called out Iruka, but Shao Kahn was in front of him in a second, and backhanded the former Chuunin Academy Instructor with his free hand turned fist.

"Down already? From one hit? Don't make me laugh Iruka. Clearly you are no more a Jounin level Shinobi then you were a Chuunin level Shinobi all those years ago if all your strength fails you now. And only after one hit no less," mocked Shao Kahn while walking toward him, but was stopped when the group of Konoha Shinobi from before stood in his way along with what appeared to be additional reinforcements.

"We heard the explosion and knew it wasn't standard execution ground policy," replied Genma with his team and saw the figure that was Shao Kahn turning to face him with an evil grin on his face.

"Prepare to die Konoha Shinobi. For this day will be your _last_!" exclaimed Shao Kahn with his power swirling around him like a vortex and making his enemies very uneasy.

"What is he?" Genma asked Iruka, who was trying to stand.

"Its the Kyuubi Jinchuriki! Its Uzumaki Naruto!" exclaimed Iruka with the Shinobi who came as reinforcements looking shocked before preparing for battle.

"All your souls are now mine!" exclaimed Shao Kahn before charging forward and began to unleash his fury on the Shinobi in front him not prepared for the battle that they had just walked into.

Seeing her comrades getting butchered, Anko quickly summoned a large snake, one the size of a horse to be exact, and commanded it to charge Shao Kahn. She was hoping that it would kill him or at least weaken the monster with its deadly poison. Shao Kahn saw the snake coming out of the corner of his eye and swung his Wrath Hammer horizontally into the side of the snake's face. The end result was the head exploding and killing the snake in a violent display of gore showering everyone around him. The Konoha Shinobi around him tried to gang up on him at once, but Shao Kahn hit one with a flying knee, smashed the skull of another's in two with the Wrath Hammer, used the bottom of the pointed hilt of said Wrath Hammer to stab another in the eye, and killing two Shinobi for the price of one with a well timed fireball of his own. Sensing someone sneaking up behind him, Shao Kahn spun around, and saw it was Genma with his senbon needle out to strike a spot in his neck if hit could paralyze his target. Acting quickly, the former Emperor of Outworld grabbed Genma by the throat with his free hand, and violently snapped the man's neck before tossing him away like yesterday's trash.

"Die! Die! Die!" exclaimed Iruka, as he managed to sneak to the top of the wooden pole that held prisoners for execution and jumped down on the back of Shao Kahn before repeatedly stabbing him with a kunai in the chest area while holding on for dear life.

It might have worked too if not for the energy shield that blocked each stabbing long enough for Shao Kahn to reach back, grab Iruka, and slam him into the ground before putting his large sandaled foot on the man's torso. The impact from the foot broke a few ribs and making the scarred Jounin cry out in pain, which got worse when Shao Kahn applied more pressure to it.

"Iruka!" exclaimed Anko, as she moved to make a few hand signs for a Jutsu, but was stopped at the time by a spear of light hitting the side of her torso too fast for the Special Jounin to dodge yet kept her pinned to the wooden pole.

"You bastard!" exclaimed Iruka, as he tried to reach for the kunai he lost when his enemy grabbed him, and slammed his body into the ground.

"And what if I am? What does that make my so called parents? My so called sister? Not that I care since they will soon be dead just like you are about to be real soon," replied Shao Kahn before getting ready to stomp the man's chest in.

"No! Don't kill him! I beg of you!" pleaded Anko while Shao Kahn looked at her right in the eyes before a loud _"CRUNCH!"_ echoed around the execution grounds.

Umino Iruka was dead. A look of pain and horror showing on his face at having his life end so violently in such a way. The sound that followed was Mitarashi Anko's wails of sadness and sorrow at losing the man she loved with all her heart while crying her eyes out. As she did, Shao Kahn walked over to her, but on the way, the man freed Tsunami, and Inari from their ropes that bound them to the poles.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" exclaimed Tsunami, as she hugged Shao Kahn, and Inari doing the same.

"I knew you were alive big brother. I knew you wouldn't let Konoha win!" exclaimed Inari with Shao Kahn letting out a chuckle.

"We have much to talk about in the near future. Go home. I'll be there soon...right after I deal with this one here," said Shao Khan while pointing his Wrath Hammer at Anko and began walking toward her.

Not one to argue with him, Tsunami, Inari, and the people of Wave Country left knowing their hero's judgment on this matter was absolute.

"Kill me," whispered Anko when Shao Kahn was standing right in front of her.

"Care to repeat that?" asked Shao Kahn with a hint of amusement.

"I said kill me. Kill me now. Kill me right fucking now!" demanded Anko before glaring up at him with tear stained eyes.

"Why? Because you want me to kill you? Because you want to take the easy way out? Or because you want to join your _beloved Iruka_ in Hell?" questioned Shao Kahn with the woman glaring at him with tears running down her face.

"It's because I refuse to be anything else while you are still alive!" exclaimed Anko with some show of defiance while Shao Kahn laughed.

"You put up a brave front. But I can see into your soul. You are afraid. _Deathly_ afraid. Of me. Of what I can do. To Konoha. To Fire Country. But more importantly...to _you_! And you know what?" replied Shao Kahn, as he grabbed her by the wound while the light spear dispelled itself, and heard her scream out in pain.

"What?!" exclaimed Anko while being lifted off the ground and slammed into the pole with just that one arm with his helmet covered face directly in front of her.

"You are right to be afraid of me. Very afraid. I am out for revenge against everyone who betrayed me. You, Iruka, the Rookies, their Jounin senseis, my parents, my Godparents, the Sandaime, and everyone else that hurt me all those years ago," replied Shao Kahn with Anko gritting her teeth in pain when he dug his hand into her torso.

"I was only following...orders!" protested Anko before crying out in pain.

"A lie and an excuse to justify your reason. Not that it matters. I have lived long enough under the heel of those giving and following orders. No more! You and Ibiki did quite a number on me when I was being 'questioned'. I told you the truth and you wouldn't let up. I can still remember your laughter in the darkness of my prison cell as you cut into my flesh. You weren't doing it because of orders or to get the 'real truth' from me. You were doing it because you wanted to do it. My pain was your so called redemption in the eyes of Konoha. My suffering was your freedom. You knew that if I suffered greatly by your hands, people would think your loyalty to Konoha was absolute, and being alone for the rest of your life would be a thing of the past. I was actually surprised you would sink so low and betray yourself like that. Especially when it came to me. We both suffered at the hands of the village, but for different reasons, yet we were practically in the same damn boat. Only, you jumped for a new life when offered the chance, and left me stranded to die in what soon became a sinking ship," countered Shao Kahn while Anko grabbed the arm holding her in place, trying to push it away so the pressure of his hand wouldn't be so painful, but he only pressed harder, and she screamed out while more tears left her eyes.

"I was tired! All right?! I admit it! I was tired of the hatred. Of the pain. I was offered a chance and I took it. Yondaime-sama, Sandaime-sama, Jiraiya-sama, and Tsunade-sama came to me before your assigned interrogation with the offer to change public support in my favor. The Yondaime explained he could vouch for me, saying that I was not under Orochimaru's influence at all, and he could get Orochimaru to admit it as well when he came back to the village's fold. All I had to do was make you suffer. It didn't matter if you were telling the truth or not. They just said to make you suffer for the beating you gave the Uchiha. To take out my aggressions out on you knowing it would be my ticket to being loved and having a life with someone special to me. A _someone_ you just _killed_!" confessed Anko with the last part causing her to glare at him.

Only to be pulled toward him for a second and then slammed once again into the wooden pole with enough force to cause it to break slightly where she hit it.

"Don't get so high and mighty with me! You are nothing more then a hypocrite. Uzumaki Naruto wouldn't have left you to die alone if roles were reversed. He would have fought tooth and nail to ensure you had happiness. Unlike you, he kept his principles to the end, and never betrayed _anyone_ for _anything_! No matter the offer!" exclaimed Shao Kahn in a furious tone and saw blood leak out of Anko's mouth.

"You speak as if Uzumaki Naruto is dead. But we both know you are Uzumaki Naruto," countered Anko with Shao Kahn grinning at her.

"No. Uzumaki Naruto died soon after his escape and was reborn through the powers of dark magic and sorcery. You are correct in regards that the soul may be alive, but the body is dead, and I am now Shao Kahn. Do not confuse the two of us just because we are in one body," explained Shao Kahn while Anko bit back the urge to cry out in pain.

"If you say so. And you call me a hypocrite," said Anko with her clearly not believing his words.

"Perhaps I am in a way, but its minor when compared to you, and that cesspool you call a Shinobi village. I'm looking forward to crushing everyone in Konoha under my power when the time comes. And you are going to help me," remarked Shao Kahn with Anko glaring at him.

"After what you just did? I'd rather die!" protested Anko, as she cried out when he put a lot more pressure on the wound, and nearly blacked out.

"That's an option I'm more then willing to follow through with wench! However, given your talents as a Shinobi, I think you would be better put to use as one of my many new subordinates...maybe I'll even make you my bodyguard or..._concubine_ if I wish," replied Shao Kahn while Anko growled angry.

"As if I would ever have sex with you! I won't! I'd rather be an old hag with saggy tits!" exclaimed Anko before she found herself stripped of her trench coat, her fishnet shirt had been ripped off, and pressed up against the wooden pole before she even react.

"I told you and the others before they died that your soul was mine. Everything you are now belongs to me," declared Shao Kahn, as he held her in place, and put a hand on the infamous Curse Seal he knew had always been the "bane of her existence" from what his memories of the thing had been for the woman.

Ignoring Anko's attempts to fight him off from her position, Shao Kahn began to analyze the Curse Seal using his power, and in a matter of moments...attacked it.

"Such a big man. Having to rape an injured woman to feel big. I bet your tiny underneath that loin cloth. You're path-AAAAAAAH!" was all Anko could get out in a mocking tone, as she screamed out in pain when she suddenly felt a stabbing sensation attacking the Curse Seal on her neck.

The poor woman began to spasm, as she felt something being pulled out of her, and then something entering in its place. She didn't know what it was that entered, but Anko feared that whatever her old sensei had put into the Curse Seal to make it bind her to him, Shao Kahn had replaced it with something worse! Whatever he had done, she didn't want, but her strength had left her body, and couldn't fight him off. His grip on her shoulder was a vice and the other hand on her hip kept any spasm she had from getting out of control.

"Funny thing I learned about the Curse Seal on your neck. Its designed to hold a piece of someone's soul. This is done in combination with elements I have never seen before of a biological nature to draw on the energies of nature itself to sustain it. Fortunately for me, the power to drain a soul, if only a fragment of it, has always been a skill I was a natural at when reborn in Outworld. Without the soul fragment, your body could not sustain itself due to the other elements being rejected, and thus needs another soul fragment to anchor it down," explained Shao Kahn before he released the woman when he finished and saw her fall to the ground exhausted.

"You...You put a piece of yourself into the Curse Seal," concluded Anko after a moment in regaining her bearings while looking up at him in horror.

"Yes. Just as that Curse Seal bound you to Orochimaru, so does mine in a similar fashion though the design is clearly different," replied Shao Kahn before picking up a kunai near him and lightly tossed it to Anko so she could use it as a mirror to see the seal through the metal.

Instantly, Anko felt new found strength at this opportunity to attack Shao Kahn, and took it with speed she didn't know was possible for someone so drained of energy. Maybe it was her rage, her pain of losing Iruka, or the fact she didn't care about dying anymore. However, when she was a second away from plunging the kunai into his chest where the heart was located, Anko's body suddenly jolted like it had been struck by lightning, and the woman cried out in pain before slumping to the ground.

"W-What...What was that? Why couldn't I...I kill you?" asked Anko while panting and looking up at the smirking giant.

"Because my seal won't let you Anko. Your former sensei Orochimaru may have been one to find amusement by entertaining himself with the idea of you getting close enough to kill him, but I do not share his views on the matter. This is your ultimate punishment for betraying me and yourself all those years ago Anko. You will obey me. You follow my every command I give whether you like it or not. From now on, I am you Master! From now on, I am your Commander! Your Emperor! My word is law to you!" decreed Shao Kahn with Anko not liking this one bit.

"And if I decide to kill myself?" challenged Anko before she felt more pain run through her body.

"You can try Anko, but like with your attempt to kill me just now, the seal won't let you do anything of the sort, and over time...the seal will make you see things as they were meant to be seen. _My way_!" answered Shao Kahn while Anko struggled to get up and stand.

"And what does...what does my...my...my _Master_ command of me?" asked Anko while she saw his grin increase further.

"Simple. You know where every Konoha Shinobi in Wave Country is currently located throughout the land. Even now, some of them are going to investigate what has happened here when those sent to investigate what happened in this area fail report in soon. You will be reporting in for them. You will report that a riot was put down after a _successful_ execution of Tsunami and Inari occurred," commanded Shao Kahn while Anko grit her teeth, but slowly nodded, and found a radio communication system on one of the dead Konoha Shinobi.

She didn't dare look at Iruka's body for fear of tears forming again.

_"Teams 3 and 7 report! Anko? Iruka? What's going on over there? We heard and felt a commotion going on at the execution grounds,"_ was a voice over the speaker Anko put in her ear.

"This is Anko. We had a small riot after we executed the two prisoners. We put down the rioters. All Konoha Shinobi can stand down. I repeat. All Konoha Shinobi stand down," said Anko into her headset.

_"Copy that Anko. All teams stand down and head back to your posts,"_ said the voice on the other end.

"I'm going to be off duty for a little while Kakashi. Iruka...Iruka and I need to get all the blood off of our clothes," added Anko while seeing Shao Kahn's crimson eyes narrow at the mention of the Cyclops.

_"Understood Anko. Try not to have too much fun or let your guard down while off duty. We might need you two if things get crazy later,"_ replied Kakashi before Anko turned off the radio after hearing the man's perverted giggle.

"Baka," whispered Anko before she was turned around by Shao Kahn and forced to look him right in those crimson eyes and felt his hand on her waist before the injury there was healed by his powers.

"Now...tell me about the situation overall in Wave Country. From troop positions to their exact numbers and the Wave Daimyo either being alive or dead. Leave nothing out or you will regret it," commanded Shao Kahn with Anko reluctantly nodding and told him everything.

(Wave Daimyo's Castle-Sometime Later)

"Iruka, Anko, Genma, and their teams haven't reported in yet?" questioned Kakashi with Yamato nodding a yes.

"Nor the team assigned to Anko and Iruka during the execution of the two criminals that supported the demon," added Yamato with Kakashi letting out a noise indicating he was thinking.

"Something has happened to them. Somehow the people of Wave have taken down our teams while they were caught off guard," concluded Kakashi with Yamato frowning in thought.

"But how? It shouldn't be possible for civilians to take down highly skilled Shinobi," said Yamato with Kakashi shrugging.

"Knowing Anko's ways, the people of Wave probably caught her and Iruka rutting in a cheap motel. As for Genma and his team...we'll just have to find out," replied Kakashi casually, as he was reading his Icha Icha Paradise book while in the Daimyo's chair, and glanced at the worried Mokuton user.

"How?" asked Yamato with Kakashi shrugging.

"Anyway we can. They took down our people so we have to return the favor to them. Get in contact with our teams around the town. Have them round up a few random people for execution. And don't stop with just men since they'll put on a brave face. Get some of the women and children too," ordered Kakashi, as he was told to bring this country under the command of Fire Country, and if he had to kill a chunk of the populace to do it...then he would.

Besides, Fire Country was planning to invest some of its population here, and would be looking for homes to live in. What better way to do that then kill a few people in Wave and seize their houses as spoils of war to redistribute later to wealthy influential families?

"I just did Kakashi-sempai. I've lost contact with five of the eight teams still out there," replied Yamato with Kakashi frowning now and putting his book away.

"And the three remaining teams?" asked Kakashi with Yamato frowning further.

"They are all here inside the castle," replied Yamato before an explosion was heard that shook the castle.

"We're under attack. Attention all Konoha Shinobi, we are under attack! Prepare to repel the enemy!" commanded Kakashi before sounds of fighting were heard, more explosions shook the castle, and cries of pain.

_"Kakashi! We are under attack by an unknown foe. Anko is with him. She's betrayed us! She has AAAAAAAAH!"_ cried one Shinobi into his headset.

"Anko? Betraying us? But that's not possible!" exclaimed Yamato with the cries of battle, pain, and death getting louder.

Another explosion rocked the castle.

"We will know soon enough," said Kakashi, as he saw the large doors leading into their room getting smashed against something powerful from the way the doors jolted, and the sound of the impact of the thing hitting them.

The two Konoha Shinobi plus the ANBU with them were watching with weapons drawn as the doors to the throne room started crack, another hit causing a splinter, and another causing them to break. When the broken doors flew open, Kakashi, Yamato, and the ANBU with them were shocked to see a strange man walking into the room. He was dressed like some kind of warlord, a strange demonic samurai helmet on his head that covered the upper part of his face, and head while holding a massive sledge hammer in his hand.

Beside him was Mitarashi Anko, wearing her usual trench coat, and short skirt currently stained in blood. Her fishnet shirt was missing, though everyone knew that the shirt did little to hide the impressive bust the woman sported, and teased men with when walking around Konoha.

"Identify yourself!" commanded Kakashi while focusing on the figure and ignoring Anko for the moment.

"I am Shao Kahn: The Conqueror! And you Hatake Kakashi will be bow to me before the end!" proclaimed Shao Kahn with Kakashi raising an eyebrow while looking completely calm while the ANBU around him let out a chuckle.

"We'll see," replied Kakashi before revealing his Sharingan Eye and got ready for a fight.

"FIGHT!" yelled Shao Kahn, as he engaged the ANBU, and Kakashi while Anko took on Yamato.

"Why are you doing this Anko? You are a loyal Konoha Shinobi. Why betray us after the Yondaime cleared you of being possible traitor?" demanded Yamato while trying to repel her with his sword while she used a kunai.

"You think I have a choice? The bastard over there reshaped my Curse Seal to practically make me his slave!" said Anko while having no choice in the matter of fighting Yamato.

"What? How? Orochimaru-sama said your Curse Seal was untouchable since it was just a prototype and faulty in being used properly," said Yamato with Anko gritting her teeth.

"I don't know!" exclaimed Anko angrily while stilling trying to kill him.

"Mokuton: Mokusatsu Shibari no Jutsu!" said Yamato after leaping back and quickly shot multiple branches from his hands to tie up Anko.

As for Shao Kahn, he shoulder tackled one Konoha ANBU right into a stone pillar, and leaving a mashed looking body to slump down dead. Two ANBU leaped into the air with a tanto in their hands, and tried to stab him from above. However, the demonic warlord threw his Wrath Hammer into the air, hitting one of them in the chest with enough force to cave in his ribs, and the second ANBU missed his strike. Shao Kahn caught the second ANBU by the back of his, pulled him back, and broke his spine when ramming a knee right into it with enough force that shattered the means for the man to walk ever again.

Not that it mattered since Shao Kahn crushed his head like a grape and threw the body away.

"Rakiri!" exclaimed Kakashi, as he charged forward, and struck his intended target with his Lightning Jutsu.

Only to find some kind of chakra shield was blocking his Rakiri from killing Shao Kahn and got an uppercut to the face after having his extended arm knocked away.

"Where is your Yondaime Hokage when you need him Kakashi?" mocked Shao Kahn with an amused chuckle before walking toward the stunned man.

'He hits harder then Tsunade-sama. What is he?' thought Kakashi, as he shook his head, but was quickly brought to his feet, and held by his Jounin vest by Shao Kahn.

"Your pathetic Sharingan Eye shackles someone like me no longer," replied Shao Kahn before smashing his fist into Kakashi several times before throwing him right into a stone pillar holding the roof up.

Kakashi's body bounced off the pillar before hitting the ground hard, his Sharingan Eye was being slightly blocked by the swell around it, and bleeding heavily from several cuts made by the spiked wrist bracers.

"Kakashi-sempai!" exclaimed Yamato while wondering how he could help Kakashi and keeping Anko restrained.

'Someone...like him? What does he mean by that?' thought Kakashi while struggling to get up.

"You, the Yondaime, his family, Senju Tsunade, and the other higher ups within Konoha masquerade yourselves as dragons. Believing you have a right to control the world as the Elder Gods are in control of the heavens. But in end, you are all mere toothless _worms_," mocked Shao Kahn before grabbing a shocked Kakashi by the back of his vest and threw him against another pillar before being kicked hard into it with enough force to leave an impression of his body in it.

"You have no right to speak about Minato-sensei like that! Or anyone from Konoha for that matter!" protested Kakashi after he fell forward onto the ground.

"Oh but I do Hatake Kakashi. The Yondaime Hokage is my _Father_ after all," countered Shao Kahn while Kakashi looked up at him in horror and so did Yamato.

"F-Father? But...how? The only child Yondaime-sama has is Naruko!" countered Yamato with Shao Kahn laughing.

"How quickly the people of Konoha forget. But you didn't forget. Did you Kakashi? The_ other_ less loved child, who was your student, which you were assigned to watch, neglect, and ensure the boy would never reach his full potential for fear of what he would do upon learning the truth behind his life's purpose. You know the life that I'm talking about, right Hatake? The very one where he struggles all day, everyday, without end, and when the boy finally succeeds in the one mission given to him by the Hokage...he's put to _death_!" said Shao Kahn with Kakashi still looking at him in horror since the Jounin knew who he was from another life.

"N-Naruto," whispered Kakashi since he did remember the promise of revenge aimed at the Leaf by the boy who made it before being sucked into that portal.

After that happened, Minato, Jiraiya, and Kushina al tried to study the seal design on the ground that was left behind in the hopes of understanding it to find Naruto. But all the attempts proved fruitless for years due to the design being unreadable and too scorched to be deciphered by anyone. Jiraiya had even tried to reverse summon the boy since he was still bound to the Toad Contract, but it didn't work, and what was worse had been the Elder Toad talking of the original prophecy changing. Not just changing, but rather it had been destroyed entirely, and being rewoven into something completely different. Jiraiya had said the Elder Toad described it like someone took a sword to a tapestry that was the future before the pieces reformed into a new prophecy.

It was only now did Kakashi know what it was referring to as it played back in his mind.

_Gods and Kings trembled in fear of his power._

_His heart filled with rage and pain from the past._

_He will fight all who stand against him._

_In the name of justice and vengeance all will fall at his feet._

_The betrayed one will return to conqueror all we know._

_And consume the Shinobi world as we know it...into shadow._

"It is a good thing that you remembered my old name after all these years Kakashi. I would hate to think that someone such as yourself forgot about your sensei's discarded son. Now take it with you to the Netherrealm knowing your life and this world as you know it...is going to end soon. Very soon," replied Shao Kahn, as he brought his Wrath Hammer up to crush the man in front of him, and deal another blow to Konoha.

'Damn it! I need to save Kakashi-sempai,' thought Yamato, as he threw Anko against a wall, and turned his Jutsu toward Kakashi in order to retrieve him before the killing blow could be delivered down upon him.

"Thanks Yamato. We need to get out of here and to Konoha immediately. They have to be warned," replied Kakashi while Yamato held onto him and they began to flee from the castle.

"We'll make it Kakashi-sempai. Don't worry," said Yamato while rushing with Kakashi to the bridge, trying to escape using speed to their advantage despite one being riddled with internal injuries.

"Light Spear!" called out Shao Kahn, as he pierced Yamato's chest, and sent the two Leaf Shinobi stumbling across the bridge.

"Yamato!" called out Kakashi while seeing Yamato trying to stand, but the spear shaped chakra weapon had hit the man with lethal precision, and the Mokuton user soon slumped down dead.

"One less worm to worry about crushing. I remember him from my time growing up as a child. Looking back on it, I realize he used his wood powers to suppress Kyuubi's from being unleashed on the fools that hurt me growing up. I should have made him suffer more for his past actions," remarked Shao Kahn with Kakashi struggling to stand, but the former Emperor punched him in the face, and sent the Jounin flying to the side of the bridge into the concrete siding while denting the metal railing.

"Naruto wait! We...We can work this out! I know...I know Konoha has wronged you for what the Kyuubi did. That I wronged you. But it doesn't have to be this way. We can start anew. All of us! You, me, the Sandaime, your Godparents, your parents, and your sister can all start over. A fresh start! They would be proud to have you back in Konoha and as a member of their family," pleaded a helpless Kakashi while Shao Kahn stopped in front of him with the Wrath Hammer in his hand once more.

"And why would I want to be a member of that so called family? They never wanted me Kakashi. Even after I was born, they never wanted a son. It didn't matter to them if I had the Kyuubi sealed in me or not. They would have cast me out simply for being male and for their own selfish reasons. Though in a way, I should thanking them for making me the Kyuubi Jinchuriki rather then my sister. If she had been, I know they would have still raised her, and left me to die at the hands of the villagers. They didn't need me. They just didn't want to do the extra work when presented with a way out," countered Shao Kahn before picking up Kakashi and slamming him into railing.

"That's not true," protested Kakashi while grunting at the pain he was in right now.

"You knew what they planned for me after I became the Kyuubi Jinchuriki. You knew they were going to leave me regardless if I was or not. At least with the fox's power, I was able to heal from my wounds, and enhancing my already fast regenerative abilities given to me by my Uzumaki bloodline because of it. Tell me Kakashi, if my sister had been made a Jinchuriki, and I was cast aside to suffer at the hands of Konoha's populace like I did growing up...would you have let me suffer?" demanded Shao Kahn with the Jounin not answering him and looking away.

"I'm sorry Naruto, but you know Minato-sensei's orders are absolute, and I must obey him since he knows what he's doing. According to Jiraiya, either he or Naruko are to be considered the Child of Prophecy that was foretold long ago. Add to the fact he was the Yondaime Hokage of Konoha and single handedly ended the Third Shinobi War with Iwa...one does not question a man like that about his decisions," answered Kakashi before seeing the disgusted look on the giant's helmeted face.

"Well I'm questioning him. And I'll have you know, he is _not_ the Child of Prophecy that was foretold. Nor is Naruko. I am!" declared Shao Kahn with Kakashi glaring at him now in anger.

"Says who? Just because you say it doesn't make it true. You are just a dead last, no talent Shinobi, who was given bare minimum training, and learning in order to be a subservient weapon for a cause beyond his understanding. You are a weapon. A tool! Tools do not question their Masters!" countered Kakashi before he cried out in pain when Shao Kahn brought his Wrath Hammer down on his right kneecap.

"The Elder Gods say otherwise. But you don't have to take my word for it. I suggest you go and talk to my so called Father about this. He knows what I just told you is true," said Shao Kahn with Kakashi clutching his broken leg.

"I don't know how you came to that conclusion, but you must be even stupider then when you escaped Konoha. Do you expect me to believe that I can just wobble out of here to warn everyone without being killed by you with my back turned? I thought you wanted to kill me and everyone else in Konoha? For your revenge?" questioned Kakashi with Shao Kahn laughing at him and leaning down to stare the Jounin right in the eyes.

Before grabbing half of it.

"They already know I have returned Kakashi. Or at the very least, the higher ups know of my return. After all, I did rip the other half of Kyuubi out of my Father, and then sent him back to Konoha as weak as a new born infant," said Shao Kahn while pressing his thumb down on Kakashi's eye holding the Sharingan.

'Oh no! Our edge against Naruto is gone. And with Minato-sensei losing the other half of the Kyuubi...' thought Kakashi with Shao Kahn's smile increase as if he were reading the Jounin's mind.

"Oh yes Kakashi. Any advantage Konoha had with my Father fighting me is gone. I took back from him what didn't belong to my Father from the start. Just as I am going to take what doesn't belong to you either," said Shao Kahn and moved his large hand to painfully remove the Sharingan Eye of one Hatake Kakashi with the man crying out in protest and thrashing wildly in the process.

"No! Don't! This eye came from a dear friend! Its all I have left of him!" pleaded Kakashi while thrashing, punching, kicking Shao Kahn's massive body with no success.

"Your time being known as Sharingan Kakashi is over. As of this very moment, you are now just plain _ordinary_ Hatake Kakashi," replied Shao Kahn before showing the eye to the Jounin before crushing it in his hands and letting the optic juice from the organ leak out of his fist for Kakashi to see with his one remaining eye.

"No. Obito. Rin. Sasuke," whispered Kakashi in shock.

"Wobble back to Konoha like the wounded dog you are Kakashi. Go back to Konoha and tell them that the demon they despised for years has come back to this realm. Tell them I am back to keep my promise and there is not a soul in Konoha that can stand in my way!" commanded Shao Kahn, as he picked Kakashi up, and threw him like a javelin high into the air until he landed on the main land where the bridge connected to Wave Country before bouncing hard multiple times from the impact.

'This is bad. The prophecy is coming true!' thought Kakashi, as he found himself unable to stand much less walk due to the impact on the ground broke his other leg, and realized he had to crawl back to Konoha.

Like a wounded dog.

"ONE THING HATAKE! TELL THEM THAT THIS BRIDGE IS NO LONGER THE GREAT UCHIHA SASUKE BRIDGE! IT IS THE GREAT NARUTO BRIDGE ONCE MORE!" yelled Shao Kahn for all to hear in Wave Country before he leaped into the air and smashed one of the statues of Uchiha Sasuke with the Wrath Hammer on one side before doing it again on the other.

When he was back on land again, within the borders of Wave Country, the people of the island nation gathered to cheer for him, calling Shao Kahn their hero once more. The former Emperor of Outworld was a bit confused by this, as he had always ruled through fear, and intimidation by using his power to kill his enemies. And now here he was, being loved by the people around him, none of them being frightened by his appearance. They didn't care what he looked like or he was stained in the blood that came from the bodies of countless Konoha Shinobi he had taken down to get to the castle. All they cared about regarding him was that he had returned to them. That he had returned and saved them all once more from enemy invaders.

It was very...strange to say the least.

"You seem surprised the people would embrace you after all this time Naruto-kun," said Tsunami after she and Inari approached him with the latter giving the giant man a hug.

"I'm not use to...such praise. Contrary to what people here believe, I have been more of a...villain then hero. If you had only seen what I had done since my escape from Konoha. If these people knew the truth behind how I am now...they would hate me," replied Shao Kahn, as he wondered why such a feeling of being hated by the people here hurt him so much when it never bothered him before, and wondered if the Elder Gods were somehow responsible for messing with his heart before he left them.

Or perhaps it was a part of him awakening.

"It doesn't matter to us because you will always be Naruto-kun in our eyes. Our hero who freed us from one tyrant and protected us from an army sent by another. Whether you are willing to accept it or not is up to you," declared Tsunami while trying to keep the blush that was forming on her face.

"You have to show me how you did all those cool things brother! Could you teach me?! questioned Inari while hoping he would since his fight with the Shinobi, who entered his family's home to take them away had ended badly, and wanted to get stronger.

"My powers are...unique Inari. I think you should focus your skills more in the ways of archery. I seem to recall you being an excellent shot with a crossbow. But, I think I can help teach you a bit about fighting should you fight someone using close range combat," replied Shao Kahn, as he wasn't about to teach Inari such power, fearing it would corrupt him, or turn him into another Shang Tsung.

One sorcerer like him was bad enough. Shao Kahn wasn't going to turn the boy into the man's replacement.

"Okay. I figured as much with the summoning of your weapon and moving so fast for a guy your size," said Inari while Shao Kahn nodded and noticed Tsunami was blushing now with lust in her eyes as she was admiring his body.

'And what a man he is. All that muscle and power. It makes a woman wonder just how much muscle he's _really _got under there?' thought Tsunami while shaking her head at the perverted things that came to mind.

"Just out of curiosity, how will your country be run. I was told your Wave Daimyo was killed some time ago," said Shao Kahn with the people looking saddened in hearing that.

"Its true I'm afraid. The Wave Daimyo wouldn't agree to the terms set by Konoha or the Fire Daimyo for that matter. They killed him when they invaded to make it so we needed a form of government setup under their control to keep us in line," replied Tsunami, as she saw Inari's face scrunch up in thought before they went wide at an idea.

"Wait! Big brother here can be the Daimyo!" declared Inari while Shao Kahn looked at him with a bit of surprise though not too much since he did consider the idea of taking the throne of only to be protected politically in certain areas one gets from such a station.

"That's a wonderful idea Inari!" exclaimed Tsunami, as the people around them were all in agreement, and were clearly supporting the idea with their voices calling out for Shao Kahn to lead them.

"Very well! I shall become the ruler of Wave Country. However, I must things clear to you right here, and now regarding my identity. At one point in my life, I was once called Uzumaki Naruto. Your hero. Your savior. But my time away, I have done things, horrible things to survive where I have been, and return to you like this as a result of it. One of the changes I had to make, was to forsake my old name, and was given a new one for the life I have lived before coming back to this realm. As such, from this day forward, I wish to be addressed not as Uzumaki Naruto, but as Shao Kahn!" explained Shao Kahn with the people being shocked by this, but they nodded in understanding, and didn't see a reason to question their new ruler.

"ALL HAIL SHAO KAHN! DAIMYO OF WAVE COUNTRY!" yelled Inari with the crowd soon cheering and chanting his name.

As for Shao Kahn, he felt something change within him. Not so much as a change in how he felt towards his enemies, but rather what was felt toward the people he now ruled, and wished to protect them from harm. Rather then rule through oppression, as he had done for years after the fall of the Dragon King well over a millennia ago, the former Emperor felt the need to rule these people fairly, and make sure his new subjects were taken care of while at the same time keeping a firm hand to ensure they didn't get too carried away.

Maybe Uzumaki Naruto was more alive then he gave himself credit.

In any case, the giant of a man needed to assess the damage Wave Country had suffered while being occupied by Konoha Shinobi. Once he finished with that and repairing the damage done, he would seek out his old friends in high places throughout the Elemental Countries to gather allies in the war that was to come.

If it hadn't already.

(A/N: YAY! A super long chapter for you guys. I was able to write this at night. I hope it meets your expectations. Many of you have been vocal on some things and I will try to consider some of them. Not all. But some. In the next chapter, (spoiler alert!) Konoha will know the truth, the higher ups will discover their little fountain of youth has been ripped from them, and Jiraiya will be seeking more answers from the Toads about the new prophecy along with information about Naruto's change into being Shao Kahn. As for Anko, she wasn't with Shao Kahn at the end of the chapter because she got knocked down, and thus was unable to help in the pursuit. That and the people of Wave would have wanted to crucify her for what she's done and Anko fans don't want that. Also, in case you are wondering about Shao Kahn's new war helmet he's now wearing, think of it looking like the one he wore in the beginning of Mortal Kombat 9 (the most recent one) in the beginning of story mode where he wins Armageddon and is about to kill Raiden at the top of the Pyramid of Argus. Use YouTube to look it up. I never get tired of watching it. Until next time...PEACE!)


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5-A Bruised Leaf

"HE DID WHAT?!" demanded Tsunade while at the hospital treating a now conscious Namikaze Minato of being drained of almost all his chakra when he suddenly appeared in her office via a strange portal.

Beside her was Jiraiya, Orochimaru, the Sandaime, Kushina, and Naruko with horrified looks on their faces. Minato had just told them what happened while he was with his team of Leaf Shinobi assigned to taking out an Iwa encroachment team. How he had been suddenly pulled away from the battle and soon found himself surrounded by those who called themselves the Elder Gods. How they bound him in golden chains and was soon confronted by Shao Kahn, who had revealed himself to be Minato's discarded son. The very same son they had let the village hate and abuse since his birth, but now...now the boy was a man. A giant, muscled, and demonic looking man who had ripped the other half of Kyuubi from the former Hokage's body into his own.

"He has the other half of Kyuubi inside of him now. The two are now one from the way Naruto implied things," explained Minato the group before him looking disturbed by this news.

"This is bad. Without the other half of Kyuubi's chakra that was sealed inside Minato and we can't use Tsunade-hime's skills with medical chakra into the mix, the ability to make the old become young again has become lost to us, If our enemies discover this, they will swarm upon us from all sides," said Jiraiya worriedly and Orochimaru frowned since it was because of that procedure that his Immortality Jutsu did not require him or Hiruzen to switch bodies every three years. Tsunade was back in her prime and so was Jiraiya so they had no need for the Immortality Jutsu.

Which meant a chance to mold future bodies to take in the future for everyone when the time came, but the recent pain in the snake Sannin's chest if not deeper into his soul two days ago gave him a fearful sense of...dread was it? He didn't know where it came from, but Orochimaru did not like it one bit, and didn't know if he should tell anyone here.

"Can we get it back? Can we do what you did last time? Divide it into two and seal them up?" asked Kushina with Minato shaking his head no.

"No. Naruto is still Naruto, but with Kyuubi as a whole merged with him. Apparently, the half he had sealed inside of his body merged with him years ago, and now the other half that was ripped from me has done the same. He also has the blessing of these Elder Gods too from what I saw in that room," answered Minato with Jiraiya frowning.

"I need to confer with the Toads about this. Maybe they can shed some light on what is going on," replied Jiraiya before he left out the window.

"It will be at least a week before you are back on your feet. I'll send some reinforcements to your team's last known location should that Iwa encroachment team overpower them," said Tsunade before she left to handle things on her end.

"So the demon has finally returned. Just like he promised," remarked Hiruzen, as he now slowly walked toward the window, and looked out at Konoha.

"I didn't think he would keep it. Considering the state of his injuries when he left," replied Minato with Hiruzen nodding since he didn't expect it either.

"We need to find out where your son is before he can gain a foothold in this world. Once our enemies know of his return, their moral in this war will increase one hundred fold," remarked Orochimaru with Hiruzen nodding.

"Jiraiya will find him. Someone of that size, the attire he was wearing, and his face from what you saw is not something that can be hidden so easily," replied Hiruzen with Minato and the others nodding.

"What do we do until then? We can't warn the village? It will cause a panic! Our enemies will learn that much faster through their spies," said Kushina with Orochimaru nodding since he had sent Kabuto on a spy mission to Kumo to gather more information on the two Jinchuriki there.

"We must be discreet. For the moment, we must make everyone inside, and outside of the village believe that nothing is amiss," answered Orochimaru in a sagely tone while in the back of his prodigal mind, he was preparing for a possible escape plan should things turn against Konoha to the point where being loyal to it wasn't in the best interest of his newly acquired health.

'Soon my brother. Soon we will see which one of us is truly the superior sibling. The one who is worthy of being a Namikaze and Uzumaki,' thought Naruko, as she clenched her fists, and narrowed her eyes at the idea of fighting the man that was her big brother by a few seconds.

For years since being born, Naruko had been told she was the better one. The one that her parents always wanted. She had been given the best training, instructions on all things Shinobi. From powerful Jutsus to Taijutsu, chakra control, strategies, and molding of the chakra chains she inherited from her Mother. Naruko was everything her parents said she was and more from the way she progressed in training.

She was her Father's daughter. Her Mother's daughter. Their progeny. _Period_!

At least, it was what Naruko believed until recently, and was starting to question whether she was the superior progeny when compared to her lost brother Naruto. Sure, she didn't face an A-ranked Missing Nin, save a country from a tyrant, fight Orochimaru, or save a Princess turned Daimyo of a country from an evil Uncle. But she was still the offspring of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina! So that had to count for something right?

Right?!

Since coming to Konoha following her brother's failed execution, Naruko took her own set of missions, which got harder as time went by, and the war they were now fighting helped prove her metal. But now...now her brother was back! He had ripped Kyuubi's power right out of her Father and was apparently stronger then ever before. She knew the only way to settle this little family feud between them was to see which sibling would win in a fight between them.

(Mount Myōboku)

"You have done a terrible thing Jiraiya. You told us the boy had been killed because he was losing control of the Kyuubi inside of him! YOU LIED!" the Great Toad Sage yelled at the Sannin currently quaking in fear at the rare display of anger.

"I-I-I had to do it. Minato believed either he or Naruko was the Child of Prophecy you foretold. All the signs pointed to one of them. I trained Minato when he was a Genin and then I trained Naruko when I wasn't focusing on my spy network or doing my...research," explained Jiraiya while mumbling the last part.

"And what of Minato's son? You didn't train him? Even after he signed our summoning contract" questioned Shima, as she gave Jiraiya a piercing stare, and saw the man looking away.

"Aside from summoning, I only taught...the Rasengan," mumbled Jiraiya with the Toads looking unhappy with him.

"It doesn't matter if you taught him a lot or a little bit! The original vision I once had of the future showed that the Child of Prophecy was learning from you to combat the evil that was to come. Now the vision has been changed to something else entirely! Now I see a demonic warrior, forged from a dragon of royal blood, and him marching to war with those that _hate_ Konoha. Tell me Jiraiya..._why_ do they hate Konoha?" demanded the Great Toad Sage with Jiraiya looking even more uneasy.

"Because they were allies and friends with Naruto when he went on missions. Plus, some of them are past enemies from when Minato, and Kushina were out in the public eye," explained Jiraiya with the Toads looking furious.

"You baka! Because of you, your student, his family, and those that support him with this war mongering...the Shinobi way as we know it is being threatened! The system is at risk of falling apart and will either be changed into something else or...it will be destroyed. At the very least, Konoha will not survive this onslaught, and you only have yourselves to blame!" declared the Great Toad Sage with Jiraiya looking shocked by this.

"We can still stop this! We destroyed the first prophecy and it became something else. Why not try to do that again?" questioned Jiraiya with the Toads looking at him with murderous eyes.

"Because you fool, a prophecy is never _meant_ to be destroyed just as it is never _meant_ to be _influenced _by mortals. It is a sin above all others! It is a spit in the face to all the Gods, all the deities, and the Universe itself! The punishment for doing something like that is a new prophecy coming about. A _dark_ _prophecy_. One that foretells the ending of things rather then providing a hope of a possible chance in saving it! You lied to us Jiraiya! You and everyone in Konoha spit in the face of the Universe! Now you expect us to help you fix this mess? It cannot be fixed! Especially not now with what you told us about the ones responsible for bringing Naruto back to our realm," explained Fukasaku with Jiraiya now looking confused as well as worried.

"What do you mean 'our realm' Fukasaku?" asked Jiraiya before the Elder Toad sighed in frustration at having such an idiot of a man being their summoner.

"For once in your life Jiraiya, you will pay attention to what we have to say for this will not be repeated again. This is a story past down from before the time of the Sage of Six Paths, who learned it himself from his own teacher, and his teacher before him. This is the story of the many different realms, the One Being, and...the Elder Gods," replied the Great Toad Sage before explaining about the One Being, the Elder Gods, and how the One Being was destroyed to make the realms while the Elder Gods maintained watch over all the realms following that event.

And how they were the final supreme authority in the Universe who made rules to govern the realms without interference unless necessary.

"Oh crap! When Naruto was about to be executed all those years ago, I remember how he called out to the Elder Gods to save him from death. Something about the pact Minato had made with them when sealing away the Kyuubi had been violated," mumbled Jiraiya to himself, but the Toads still heard it.

"And now the Child of Prophecy has returned with hatred in his heart," replied Shima in a depressing tone.

"But...it just can't be possible he is the Child of Prophecy. Naruto barely received any training under me. There is no way he could become strong enough to fight Konoha like you are saying after only six years away from our realm. Even if he gathered allies from all over the Elemental Countries, the Akatsuki are still around, and they are going to want his power for themselves," explained Jiraiya before being hit on the head by Fukasaku.

"Baka! Have you not heard a word said to you? The Elder Gods have spoken! Naruto has come back to this realm a warrior. Whoever took care of him since he was gone was able to mold the boy into what he has become now. We warned you that the boy might have the potential to surpass his parents just as much as Naruko. But you wouldn't listen!" said Fukasaku before smacking him again.

"He was the Kyuubi Jinchuriki! His purpose was just to be a tool for the Leaf village to use how we saw fit. To be molded into the benefit of Konoha's prosperity and glory. His life was suppose to have little to no meaning!" protested Jiraiya, but it only resulted in him getting hit harder.

"Liar! If you really believed that junk, then Minato himself would have been used as one too instead of faking his own death. He was just as much a Jinchuriki as Naruto was and yet you hurt the latter!" exclaimed Shima before she joined in beating the Sannin up.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Stop! Please! How do I try fixing this? There must be _some way_ to stop Naruto from bringing doom to everything and everyone?!" questioned Jiraiya before they stopped beating him up.

"You can't stop it Jiraiya. Not this time. Know that the boy you used, hated, and abused for your wicked schemes no longer exists. In his place, is a warrior, a conqueror, and he won't stop until Konoha is consumed by the very fires of war you helped fan. No one can escape it. Not you, Minato, Kushina, Naruko, Hiruzen, Orochimaru, or anyone else can run from the war machine you all created turning against the Leaf," proclaimed the Great Toad Sage before deciding to instill some fear into the man using his mastery over nature chakra to create a window into the past.

"What's this?" asked Jiraiya before seeing events from another place happening before his eyes.

"This is to show you what you are up against Jiraiya. My mastery over nature chakra is at a level we never nor shall we ever teach you in reaching. I have seen rise and the fall of your enemy twice over. Now you will see it too," commanded the Great Toad Sage with the events of Naruto as Shao Kahn waging war in different realms being shown to the Sannin.

Jiraiya watched in fascination, shock, and horror at the following events in seeing when Naruto rose to the throne of Outworld as its new Emperor after the slaying of Onaga: The Dragon King. How the boy, now a demonic powerhouse, went by the name of Shao Kahn, and how the new Emperor was conquering more of the realms. Only when Shao Kahn failed to defeat Earthrealm did Jiraiya feel joy at the sight of his former student failing, but it changed when the very Earthrealm warriors, who defeated Shao Kahn were unable to kill him, and forced the Emperor to retreat in a weakened state. Watching the following events intently, Jiraiya saw how his former so called student had tricked his enemies both inside, and outside of his ranks using a clone of himself into thinking he was dead. Jiraiya saw the move happened just in time to avoid the return of Onaga: The Dragon King and recovered his strength long enough to slay him in order to take back the throne with a little help from old allies. The Toad Sannin soon saw the events following Shao Kahn's victorious return, the battle soon waged by two warring sides desiring the other's blood, and how Armageddon had almost happened on the top of the Pyramid of Argus when fighting the Thunder God Raiden.

_"Where are the Elder Gods, Raiden?" asked Shao Kahn, as he stood over Raiden's body, and laughed at the pathetic sight before him that was the defeated Thunder and Elder God of Earthrealm._

_"Their pathetic Mortal Kombat shackles me no longer," declared the Emperor after he picked up Raiden by the front of his armor before striking him several times in the face with his fists before throwing him across the top of the pyramid._

_"They masquerade as dragons, but are mere toothless worms," mocked Shao Kahn, as he walked over to Raiden's downed form, his Wrath Hammer in hand, and saw the Thunder God turning over before stomping a massive foot down on him._

_"My venom spreads. It is the end of all things. _**_Armageddon!_**_" exclaimed Shao Kahn, as his body was sudden covered in a golden fire, and bathing in its power._

_"STOOOP!" Raiden yelled out, but all he got was a content sigh from the one standing over him._

**_"It is done."_**_ remarked Shao Kahn before picking Raiden up so the two could look the other square in the eyes._

**_"Your time has passed,"_**_ said the Emperor before throwing Raiden back to where had first fallen near his broken amulet._

_Raiden notices the broken amulet on the ground and reached for the majority of them._

**_"Ages wasted in foolish resistance. Now is the dawn of my rule!"_**_ declared Shao Kahn, as he walked toward Raiden, who picked up the amulet pieces, and began chanting in an unknown language._

_It made Shao Kahn laugh._

**_"Yes. Pray to the worms, Raiden. As your world ends!"_**_ declared Shao Kahn just before Raiden finishes his chanting and brings his Wrath Hammer up to bring down the killing blow with a war cry._

_"He must win!" whispered Raiden before seeing the Wrath Hammer come down on his head._

Jiraiya saw Raiden had used his power mixed with the broken amulet to send a message via brief visions of what was to come, back to his previous self, and using those visions to prevent the future Armageddon from happening. Only for the Toad Sannin to see each change brought about one new disaster after another until finally Shao Kahn had entered Earthrealm with an almost repeat performance of what happen on the Pyramid of Argus happening on that tall building.

_"Ah, Raiden. You have come to your senses," said Shao Kahn with a hint of surprise in his voice._

_"Earthrealm's citizens suffer. Further resistance serves no purpose," replied Raiden in a humble tone while the Emperor laughed._

_"All these ages you have fought me. You denied me my rightful claim. Not this time," said Shao Kahn before standing in front of Raiden and hit the Thunder God with a mighty uppercut that sent him flying back._

_It was here, reality began to distort itself from events from another time._

_"The Elder Gods fear me, now," declared Shao Kahn before laughing and lifting Raiden up by the front of his clothes._

_"Their pathetic Mortal Kombat shackles me no longer," declared the Emperor after he picked up Raiden and began striking him several times in the face with his fists before throwing him across the rooftop._

_His badly cracked amulet falling off of him and shattering into many pieces._

_"They masquerade as dragons, but are mere toothless worms," said Shao Kahn mockingly while he walked towards Raiden, Wrath Hammer in hand, and standing over the Thunder God before putting his massive foot down._

_"You can feel it. Closing in around you. It is the end of all things," boasted Shao Kahn while seeing this realm being taken over piece by piece._

_"Elder Gods, where are you? Why do you forsake me?" asked Raiden while looking at the heavens above and awaiting for some kind of miracle by the Elder Gods._

_"Your time has past," said Shao Kahn after picking Raiden up again and throwing him across the roof._

_Raiden was struggling to stand._

_"Ages wasted in foolish resistance. I have won," declared Shao Kahn before he stood in front of Raiden's kneeling form._

_"Yes. You have won," admitted Raiden, as he finally conceded defeat fully, and awaiting for the killing strike once more like what happened to his future self._

_"Now, Raiden. Your world ends," declared Shao Kahn with a grin on his face and he now brought his Wrath Hammer up to deliver the killing blow while letting out a war cry._

_Only for golden lightning to shoot down from the sky, getting the Emperor of Outworld's attention, and the Elder Gods appeared around Raiden. They entered his body and healed him of his injuries before addressing the warlord through the Thunder God's body._

**_"You violate our will, Shao Kahn. You merge realms without victory in Mortal Kombat. Our penalty is clear,"_**_ declared the combined voices of the Elder Gods through Raiden before they got golden lightning at the Emperor._

_Only to see it doing absolutely nothing except making Shao Kahn laugh._

_"An anemic effort from ineffectual deities. Today, I become THE Elder God!" declared Shao Kahn, as he was not harmed in the slightest by the attack, and saw his opponent was now going to fight him for the right to this realm._

Jiraiya watched in awe as the Thunder God possessed deity fighting Shao Kahn for the right to realm they were in. The battle itself was vicious, brutal, and there were quite a few times when the Sannin thought the Shao Kahn would win. But in the end, the Elder Gods prevailed, and took Shao Kahn away in his weakened state to be judged by them.

"Now do you see Jiraiya? You are fighting someone with countless years of experience in fighting and killing others. You are not fighting a weak boy with little Shinobi experience gained while growing up with nothing. We are talking about an entity that has challenged many, who nearly caused the end of all things in the Universe, and had no problem with bringing about Armageddon," said the Great Toad Sage with Jiraiya snapping out of his thoughts and slowly nodding.

"I understand, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to stop fighting Naruto, or whatever he calls himself these days. I will stop this prophecy from happening and I will find a way to finally kill that brat," replied Jiraiya before he left to tell the others what he knew.

"That stupid boy! Has he learned nothing from what we have just told him?!" questioned Fukasaku in anger while Shima shook her head.

"I doubt it. The perverted boy never did see things properly. We only chose him to be our summoner and tolerated his past actions because we knew of his connection to the Child of Prophecy," replied Shima with Fukasaku sighing.

"All we can do is see how this plays out," remarked Fukasaku sadly with the other Toads nodding in agreement.

(Konoha-Sometime Later)

"WHAT?! THE ENTIRE SHINOBI DIVISION I SENT TO WAVE COUNTRY WAS WIPED OUT?!" yelled Tsunade with Kakashi recovering in the hospital, his body in a cast, and seeing the angry look on the woman's face.

"Yes Hokage-sama. Naruto made it across the bridge, tricking Genma's team somehow, and waited until the day where a pair of protesters were about to be executed. You know the ones I'm talking about," replied Kakashi with Tsunade nodding.

"Tazuna's family. Tsunami and Inari. They refused to have the name changed because they loved Naruto over Sasuke," replied Tsunade with Kakashi nodding.

"Naruto apparently attacked Anko, Iruka, and their Shinobi protection detail the day of the execution. He killed everyone except Anko. He somehow forced her to obey him and turn her against us. She was fighting Yamato in the Wave Daimyo's castle and I have no doubt she was forced to tell him the location of our Shinobi teams before taking them out prior to attacking the teams at my location," explained Kakashi with Tsunade gritting her teeth.

"What happened next?" demanded Tsunade with Kakashi wincing.

"Naruto fought the ANBU and myself. His punches and kicks were beyond human. They rival if not surpass yours Tsunade-sama. I was badly beaten by his sheer power and brute strength. Yamato saved me at the last moment and we fled to the bridge thinking that we could make it back to Konoha together, but...Naruto somehow made a green spear shaped projectile made of chakra. It hit Yamato in the chest and killed him soon within moments of it piercing him. After that, Naruto turned his attention to me, and...he let me go," said Kakashi with Tsunade narrowing her eyes at him.

"But not without a price," concluded Tsunade in a knowing tone with Kakashi nodding.

"Yes. My body being badly damaged, the loss of my Sharingan Eye, and the simple fact he wanted you to know where he was upon his return our world to be the price of my life being spared," said Kakashi in shame at the end knowing it cost him so much to come back to Konoha.

"You really messed this up Kakashi. The invasion was suppose to be simple. The Wave Daimyo was dead, Tazuna was dead, the rest of his family was going to follow, and the people of Wave had no one left to oppose us. You had superior numbers, skills, and that Sharingan Eye at your disposal. How could you have _possibly _fucked up our invasion?!" demanded Tsunade with Kakashi wincing again at her threatening tone.

"I underestimated Naruto. His skill, his power, and the sheer brutality behind his attacks were overwhelming. I've never faced anything like it before," replied Kakashi with the Hokage not looking pleased.

"When you've fully recovered from your injuries, I expect you to be ready for a mission to kill that damn brat, and if you fail me when the time comes to deliver...you will be executed," said Tsunade before she left the room.

"Your failure is indeed most troubling," remarked Danzo, as he had been listening from the shadows of the room, and was no longer the old man walking with a cane.

Thanks to Minato's Jinchuriki powers and Tsunade's medical skills making him the first person to have his youth restored of course. Though the war hawk still kept his various appendages a secret from Sasuke since the Uchiha would not take kindly to his clan's bloodline being used by those outside of it.

Kakashi was _suppose_ to be the official exception.

"He's not human anymore. He even said his name is no longer Uzumaki Naruto," said Kakashi with Danzo scoffing.

"It shouldn't matter what his name is now Kakashi. Or if he is not human anymore. You are a Konoha Shinobi. A student of the Yondaime Hokage himself. If the boy has become a demon, you should have subdued, and brought him back to face justice. That boy was meant to be our weapon and be thrown away on our terms. Not escape and come back to get his petty revenge on us for doing what is right to do. Humans rule this world. Always have and always will. You are human Kakashi and therefore belong to the superior race. You got cocky and that was what cost you your Sharingan. Fortunately, I do have some spares in storage you can use, and be retrained in using for when the time comes to kill if not capture the demon," stated Danzo with Kakashi not looking convinced.

"Hokage-sama wanted me healed and out the village gates the moment I'm healthy to kill Naruto before he gains a foothold in Wave Country," explained Kakashi with Danzo now sporting a smirk on his face.

"I'll talk to her. She knows about my Sharingan Eyes in storage and knows you have a far better chance of winning with one of the eyes then without it," countered Danzo before he left the room.

(Hyuuga Clan Compound)

Hinata moved with deadly precision in her Gentle Fist in the practicing area of her home, as she used _her style_ of the clan Taijutsu, and manipulated the water around her. She had long since perfected it, honed the affinity for water long before today, and finished her training in a way that could only considered...a flawless artistic stance. After Naruto had escaped death, Hinata trained vigorously, going against all the Hyuuga Clan traditions by developing this form of Gentle Fist, and her Father along with the Clan Elders tried to put a stop to it. They felt her form of Gentle Fist was an abomination since it used flexibility rather then attacking in a straight line like all other Hyuuga Clan members did. That it should not be changed just because of one weak Hyuuga could not use it. So Hinata did the only thing possible in a situation like this that only Naruto would think of doing if his back was against the wall.

She turned the Hyuuga Clan Traditions against the Hyuuga Clan.

How?

She challenged her Father, Neji, and Hanabi in a three on one fight. Their own respective choice in Gentle Fist versus her own flexible style with the winner naming terms of the prize upon victory. By the Hyuuga Clan's own laws, if Hinata won her match, no one in the clan could stop her from doing what she wanted, and if they did...the Cage Bird Seal would be placed on the offending party. And if the person was a Branch family member? They would be killed with the very seal branded on them before the entire clan and then throw the body away into the Forest of Death for the animals to eat. No burial.

Hiashi, in his arrogance had believed that his daughter, his nephew, and himself of course were going into this battle with a win already in their favor. His youngest daughter was just like him, Neji was a Prodigy in Gentle Fist, and was just like Hiashi's brother Hizashi in terms of skill. He had told Hinata that should she lose, the Cage Bird Seal would be put on her, and altered so it could be used by the Branch family so Neji could use it on her if he wished. Neji himself had smirked at the idea, as well as Hanabi since neither liked Hinata for what they believed was a weak woman within the clan.

They were in for quite the surprise.

Hinata showed her true potential before the entire Hyuuga Clan, which the Elders in their "infinite wisdom" had commanded to witness what they believed would be the Hyuuga girl's fall. To see her be made an example of before the rest of the clan regarding what happens to those foolish enough to go against the Hyuuga Clan and its traditions. They had fully expected Hinata to fail, shaming the girl for all time, and treat her like the piece of trash they all felt was the position that would be her new life.

How wrong they were.

Hinata had unleashed her skills in Gentle Fist using her new style in such a way that it threw Hiashi through a wall and put Neji into the ground with enough force to cause a massive crater. As for Hanabi? She was left skidding on the ground a broken bleeding mess before Hinata walked over to the barely conscious Hiashi and declared that as the victor of the spar she would claim what was rightfully hers in terms of victory.

First, she declared that her style would not be locked away or considered shameful for a Hyuuga to use. She further explained to the rest of the Hyuuga Clan watching that the reason her Gentle Fist style is different, is because its connection to those with a water affinity, and the usual Hyuuga Gentle Fist style required those with earth affinity. That in rare cases, some Hyuuga (namely the women) have a developed such affinity, and thus they could not use the "traditional" Gentle Fist style. Hinata further explained that those Hyuuga women with such affinity were either killed mysteriously or had the Cage Bird Seal placed on their heads before being sent to the lowest ranked branch of the clan to suffer for their supposed weakness.

Second, Hinata declared herself a free Hyuuga, and had the right to marry whoever she wished without the Clan Head or anyone else deciding for her. In the recent years, the girl turning into beautiful woman knew of her Father trying to marry her off to some nobles of different ages, and so called nobility. Some were her age, others a few years younger, and more then a few of them were old enough to be her _Grandfather_.

If she was going to marry _anybody_, it would be one of her own choosing, and it would be someone who too old to perform sexually without help from a pill.

Third, she decreed that as a free Hyuuga, the Cage Bird Seal could not, and would not be put on her no matter what the situation. Hinata would only have it placed on her forehead willingly and without any form of outside interference on her decision. Not that she was expecting to do that anytime soon, but it was done to make them all believe a situation may one day come where they could do it.

After finishing her daily training regimen, Hinata walked to her room, but was stopped by the scowling form of Hyuuga Neji, and she scowled back.

"Hinata-sama," said Neji though it was strictly formal with no affection or love of a big brother.

"Neji," replied Hinata curtly, but she honestly didn't put any form of respect behind it, and had no intention to in the near future.

"Hiashi-sama demands your presence in his office," said Neji with Hinata scowling.

"He demands? You should know by now Neji that my so called _Father_ can no longer _demand_ anything from me. Or have you forgotten?" replied Hinata icily with Neji's eye twitching at that last part.

"No. I have not forgotten," answered Neji while Hinata nodded and walked by her cousin before she stopped to give him a cold look.

"Just remember Neji. I am not the same weak girl you brutally beat during the Chuunin Exam Preliminaries all those years ago. I will not be intimidated by the likes of you, Father, or the clan as a whole ever again. If you so much as leak killer intent toward my direction again like you did just now...I'll kill you using the Cage Bird Seal you hate so much," whispered Hinata with Neji narrowing his eyes at her.

"You're bluffing. You hate the seal more then I do. You wouldn't dare!" whispered Neji before he felt a stabbing pain on his forehead and he gasped before falling to his knees.

"I do hate the Cage Bird Seal dear cousin, but at the moment, I hate you even more, and will not let the once close blood ties between us stand in my way of carving out my own path in life. Perhaps, if you had not strayed from the path Naruto showed you years ago, or betrayed him for what he held...you would truly see things with eyes wide open. As it stand now...your eyes are wide shut," whispered Hinata while her hand was on the sign to cause pain to the Neji when she channeled chakra into it.

'She is serious. She would really use it on me,' thought Neji before the pain stopped and he collapsed onto the ground.

"Remember your place Neji. You are beneath me in Gentle Fist and you are beneath me in status within the clan. Even my status is one currently disliked by those within our so called family," said Hinata before walked around the corner and was gone from sight.

When Hinata reached her Father's office, she entered cautiously, slowly, and used her eyes before opening it fully to ensure what lay beyond the door wasn't a trap. From what she could see, Hiashi was in his office, waiting for Hinata, and looked like his usual stoic Hyuuga self.

It made Hinata believe her Father was part granite.

"I see you showed up. Good. You can still take orders," remarked Hiashi while Hinata entered the room and shut the door.

"I came here because I wanted to _Father_. Not because I had to come. I could have easily ignored your request and gone about the rest of my day uninterrupted," countered Hinata with Hiashi grimacing since that was true.

"Regardless, we are going to discuss your future within the clan. Namely, you being the new Clan Head in a few years, and marrying someone worthy of being your husband," said Hiashi with Hinata narrowing her eyes at him.

"You mean an arranged marriage. I am free from such things Father. Remember? That was one of the conditions you and the Elders have to honor after my victory to keep my style of Gentle Fist from being discarded as something of an oddity in the eyes of the clan," replied Hinata with Hiashi scowling at her.

"Be as that may, you _will_ have to settle down, and marry someone to become the new Clan Head of the Hyuuga Clan. Its what you wanted from the start, correct? So you can try changing the clan for the better?" questioned Hiashi with Hinata shaking her head.

"At one point, I did want to change the clan because there were people in it worth saving, and I thought they would return the favor one day. Now I see these people in this clan for what they are and it disgusts me. I do not want to be Clan Head. Give it to Hanabi. She will do a fine job in succeeding you in bringing about increased division from within this family. Or have you forgotten how she repeatedly abuses the Cage Bird Seal almost every chance she gets?" challenged Hinata with Hiashi grimacing at the truth despite his stubbornness telling him she was young and it was just a phase.

Hanabi did abuse the Cage Bird Seal whenever the moment suited her. She used it like a child uses her favorite toy to bring about happiness when sad and wants to feel better. The problem with that was the fact a Branch family member's suffering was Hanabi's new favorite joy and she had no problem making that fact known while laughing at the sight of one in perpetual agony. She activated the Cage Bird Seal on anyone that would bring about amusement and it didn't matter the age either. Hiashi had once witnessed his youngest using it on a child who had received it less then three hours after it had been put on The poor boy had cried and wailed while pleading for Hanabi to stop, but she didn't until the child had died from the Cage Bird Seal scrambling his brain into mush. The Elders of course didn't care since it brought about fear aimed at the Branch family so they didn't get any ideas in breaking free from their chains. As for Hiashi, he was filled with too much stubbornness, and pride as a Hyuuga to see his youngest had become a psycho within her own clan.

Hanabi could kill off every Branch family member from youngest to old and more then likely get away with it.

"Your sister simply reminds the Branch family of their place Hinata. They have become slack in their duties," countered Hiashi with Hinata scoffing at his excuse.

"You wouldn't be saying that if Uncle Hizashi were alive to see this," countered Hinata with Hiashi's eyes widen and were filled with a flash of rage.

"Don't you speak to me about my brother like that again Hinata. You were partially to blame for that incident by being too weak to fight off your kidnaper," Hiashi shot back while Hinata looked unimpressed.

"And I suppose you were strong enough to fight off a fully trained Jounin level Shinobi at the age of three?" questioned Hinata with Hiashi scowled further.

"I would have at least done better then you at that age," Hiashi shot back.

"That's a matter of opinion Father. You'll have to forgive me for believing yours is a bit biased. Perhaps if you were to somehow turn back into a three year old again, I could try arranging a kidnapping scenario where a Jounin takes you from the house in the middle of the night, and while you slept unaware of being taken until its too late," replied Hinata with Hiashi's scowl increasing.

"I am not here to argue about the past. I am here to discuss your future. While Hanabi is indeed acting as a true Clan Head should, _you_ are regrettably stronger, and thus have the might to lead," said Hiashi while Hinata shaking her head.

"Regrettably? Ten years ago, you called me weak, and wasn't worth your time. That I was worthless not only as your daughter, but as your Heiress, and Hanabi was better suited in my place. I did everything to make myself stronger and prove I was worthy in your eyes. Now that I am stronger, you regret the idea of me being strong? Does that even make sense?" questioned Hinata with Hiashi sighing.

"This is regrettable because at one point, Hanabi was the only one worthy of being Clan Head. Now, there are two worthy, and there can only be one true successor. If you do not take the title of Clan Head when the time is right, Hanabi will in your place, and you will be made a Branch member," replied Hiashi with Hinata's eyes narrowing.

"We had a deal, _Father_! One that the Hyuuga Clan as a _whole_ must accept. Or would you prefer to just discard clan traditions entirely, knowing what would happen if you did?" asked Hinata with Hiashi gritting his teeth knowing it would cause internal chaos and anarchy within the Hyuuga Clan.

"You would be doing this to save the clan from a possible civil war. The Branch family members may try something should Hanabi be made Clan Head," countered Hiashi with Hinata shrugging.

"You should have thought of that before raising such a cruel daughter, who uses the Cage Bird Seal like it was an extension of herself, and enjoys seeing the suffering of others. Besides, there is a good chance a civil war will happen within the clan if I am made Clan Head in Hanabi's place," Hinata shot back while Hiashi secretly wanted to scream at the obvious truth laid out before him.

Damned if he chose one daughter and damned if he chose the other.

"An iron fist is required when running such a noble clan Hinata," said Hiashi though the strength behind his words failed him.

"Some nobility. We act like we're better then everyone else, yet enslave half of our clan, and treat them like lowly servants meant to die when we say they can. Should they get out of line or even move a finger out of place, we use the Cage Bird Seal on them, and watch them struggle to live while they beg for forgiveness. That's hardly strong grounds for declaring our nobility. Maybe we should rename our fighting style and call it 'Iron Fist' to match our perceptions of how a Clan Head should govern this _noble_ _clan_," replied Hinata, as she walked out of the room, and didn't look back.

"God damn it," whispered Hiashi in defeat knowing full well Hinata was right.

(Hokage Tower-Meeting Room)

"So the demon brat has truly become a demon," remarked Homura, as he along with the others among Konoha's governing body were in the room when Jiraiya gave his report about what the Great Toad Sage showed him.

"Yes. And a strong one at that. He was incredibly strong _before _taking Minato's half of the Kyuubi's chakra," explained Jiraiya with Koharu, Homura, Tsunade, Hiruzen, Danzo, Kushina, Shizune, and a wheeled in Minato listening intently.

"And now with the other half in him, my..._son_ will no doubt become even harder to kill, or possibly control depending on what methods we use," added Minato while still feeling drained, but had heard about the meeting, and wished to attend.

"But _how_ do we control him? The Sharingan Eyes have the power to control the Biju, but Uchiha Sasuke hasn't acquired the next level to make that happen," said Koharu with the others wondering the same thing.

"The boy doesn't play well with others. He never has since the Uchiha Massacre. Sasuke maybe a Prodigy in terms of being a Shinobi, but he's not what you call social, or one to embrace friendship. He sees everyone around him to be either weak or a stepping stone to getting power to kill his brother," said Hiruzen while giving Danzo a pointed look that the war hawk ignored.

"He would do better under my command with Root if it were up to me. Emotions make you weak when being a Shinobi," remarked Danzo while no one in the room agreed with that statement.

"Says the man who is at the leading the drones. You wouldn't be saying that if you were one of them," remarked Kushina, as she never liked Danzo's method since its supposed strength in how they functioned was also its weakness, and had one person at the top giving them orders.

An Aburame would describe Root Shinobi as basically being drones serving the "Queen" of the proverbial "hive" and doing what was in the best interest of the "hive". However, if the "Queen" were taken out, whether by old age, natural, or..._other means_ of a life ending the drones would simply stop functioning. They lacked freewill to think on their own or even choose what to do next if such a scenario happened where their leader perished. If it did happen, the enemy could swoop in, and kill the mindless drones with ease.

Which was probably why Danzo preferred to stay hidden in the shadows and always sent his drones out while doing nothing himself despite his enhancements he kept hidden from the public. While Konoha as a whole wouldn't care if given an excuse like saving all the Sharingan Eyes from being lost in their use, Sasuke would not be so reasonable should he learn the truth, and get violent over the issue. It could divide Konoha and maybe even have some of its Shinobi question their loyalty to the governing body running the village.

"How I command Root is none of your business Kushina. Perhaps you should have done everyone in Konoha a favor and simply killed off your son shortly after his birth before sealing the Kyuubi inside Naruko...rather then doing the opposite," Danzo retorted while Kushina bristled at the insult.

"Says the man who is afraid of death and refuses to openly get his hands dirty like the rest of us," remarked Hiruzen with Danzo shooting him a glare now.

"Enough! How exactly do we deal with Naruto? Or Shao Kahn, as he has decided to call himself," asked Tsunade while everyone began to think up ideas.

"Assassination is our best bet. But it must be done on our terms. We have to lure him into a situation where his death is practically guaranteed," suggested Koharu, as she saw the others nodding in agreement.

"How? The demon surely won't leave his country for anything unless it is worth leaving. Most Daimyo's these days are politicians. Not warriors. That generation of Feudal Lords died by the end of the Second Shinobi War," said Homura since the Second Shinobi War was what got the attention of the Daimyos and their successors in seeing the value of using Shinobi to fight battles rather then rely on their armies.

"That's the problem. Naruto isn't some snooty, barely lifts a finger, and doing hard labor kind of Daimyo we are so use to these days. He's fought in battles, wars, killed people, defied Gods, and nearly brought about Armageddon. If we do set a trap for him, we must be damn sure there are no screw ups, and he doesn't escape," replied Jiraiya knowing that the prophecy could still be cast down since it was not in full swing yet like it once was before Naruto's escape from Konoha.

"What about Anko? How do we deal with her?" asked Tsunade knowing that was an issue.

"Based on Kakashi's report, Naruto used his power to extract half of what Orochimaru used for his Curse Seal, and put a piece of himself into it so she is bound to him. As such, Anko has become a liability since she knows much from her time here in Konoha, and we need to consider...cutting ties to all loose ends," remarked Minato with Tsunade nodding and so did the others.

"So we kill her too. Even if we free her from this new seal Naruto placed on her, its clear Anko will have done too much damage by that point, and we can't allow such a liability to return to our ranks. If we can capture her alive, we will until all the information she can give us has been extracted, and then we'll end her life quickly as a reward for years of loyal service to Konoha," ordered Tsunade with no one arguing about it since they had no reason to argue.

"What do we tell those close to her? She did have some friends outside of her love life with Iruka," remarked Kushina knowing there would be questions being asked soon.

"We'll tell them on a need to know bases. For now, focus on the newly made Daimyo that is my son, and see if we can't force him into a situation where we can prevent this altered prophecy from gaining momentum," commanded Minato with the others nodding.

'Sasuke must be told about this. He'll come to me for more training and I can gain more favor to the point where the brat will come to me over the others,' thought Danzo, as he decided to pay Uchiha Sasuke a visit, and see what the boy turned man was up to right now.

(Konoha-Training Ground #14)

It didn't take long for word to spread about Naruto's return under the name of Shao Kahn thanks to the blabber mouthing gossip network of Yamanaka Ino, who heard it from one Haruno Sakura, who was with Sasuke when Danzo came to see him, and told the Uchiha the news. Naturally, it sent the village into a frenzy, almost panic like even, and it made the Rookies feel a need to meet in order to discuss this amongst themselves while their senseis did the same. They knew Naruto had made that promise of revenge and if there was _one thing_ they knew about Uzumaki Naruto that was consistent with the dead last at the Academy was that he always kept his promises.

"So Naruto's back. Like he promised. Troublesome blonde," remarked Shikamaru while sitting against a tree and admiring the clouds.

"From what we heard regarding his new appearance, I don't think he's a blonde anymore Shikamaru. The helmet he wears may imply disfigurement," replied Shino, as he was standing across from him, and saw the Nara shrug his shoulders.

"He's still troublesome," replied Shikamaru while Shino said nothing.

"He wiped out the entire invasion force in Wave Country. Kakashi was the only survivor because Naruto spared him to deliver news of his return," said Kiba, as he had heard it from his Mother, who heard it from Kakashi.

"The entire invasion force? Iruka-sensei was selected for that mission," stated Shikamaru with a frown while Shino nodding.

"According to what Kakashi told my Mother...Iruka-sensei was killed by Naruto himself when he arrived in Wave," replied Kiba with the Rookies and Gai's team wincing since the man had been their teacher since they were children.

"He needs to be stopped!" exclaimed Tenten angrily.

"Agreed. But how? He took down Hatake Kakashi, Iruka, and just about every Konoha Shinobi we had over there. All of them strong," Choji reminded them while scratching his head.

"Anyway we can," said Shikamaru while the others nodded.

"If I could get close enough to him, I could use my Gentle Fist Taijutsu, and strike his heart to cause it to explode," offered Neji while Shikamaru thought it over.

"It could work. It would have to be a team effort. I would have to hold him down long enough for you to deliver the necessary strikes. Even before we did that, the rest of us would have to get involved in some way to distract him so he wouldn't see my Shadow Possession Jutsu work on him," replied Shikamaru while Sasuke sneered at them.

"No one is going to kill Naruto but me! He's my ticket to achieving the next stage of my Sharingan Eyes. I will be able to fight on even terms with Itachi," said Sasuke in a hotly and demanding manner.

"Yeah! Sasuke-kun would have done it back then too if it wasn't for his injuries caused by the baka," said Sakura while Sasuke glared at her.

"Shut up Sakura! I don't need your opinion on this. Just stand there and nod when I say something. Don't talk. Just nod," commanded Sasuke with Sakura flinching, but obeying all the same, and just nodded happily.

While many women were jealous of Sakura dating the last Uchiha, they had no idea just how bad the relationship between them really was, and any (sane) other woman would have left Sasuke in a heartbeat. Why? First, the man was cold to Sakura unless he wanted something from her, and treated the pink haired woman like she was an idiot. Under more normal circumstance, Sasuke wouldn't date one of his fan girls, but sadly for him, out of all his fan girls, Sakura was the strongest, and his most devoted. Most had moved on from what they considered a school crush or phase in their lives before finding a man to be their silver medal.

Second, the Uchiha had the personality when it came to romance of a hard ass drill sergeant, who would sooner cut off his arm then wrap said limb over the shoulder of the woman he was with. The Uchiha only tolerated Sakura's presence because she obeyed him and wouldn't tell anyone anything unless he allowed it. She was the ideal housewife for an Uchiha male with the exception of being Chuunin and only because she passed a special written exam about various Shinobi related things.

The third thing that would have made Sasuke deadweight as boyfriend material was his sexual intimacy with a woman was not as manly as many in Konoha would like to believe. Everyone had just assumed because he was from the Uchiha Clan, Sasuke would be well endowed, and be able to satisfy any woman he desired, and be more then capable of reviving his clan.

They were wrong.

Sasuke was in terms of greatness in terms of a male's "pride", if you were to use Inuzuka Clan terms, was a runt among his late clan members, and was not a great stallion in bed. Sakura let everyone think he was after she told just everyone about how they had their first time together. She had told everyone how he took her in bed, his hands everywhere on her body, touching in just the right places, and how she screamed his name all night long in his bedroom. What no one knew was that Sakura lied the entire time she bragged about her sexual relations with Sasuke. Whether she did it to try covering up the Uchiha's own inadequacies, or simply due to the girl's own delusions of the Uchiha actually being good yet she was really bad being unknown. But the (secret) fact remained, Sasuke was not the stallion Sakura made him out to be in order to gain jealous looks from the women around her that were once "rivals" for the Uchiha's attention. The first time they were together, Sasuke called the shots on how they were going to do it, from commanding Sakura to strip to just bend over, and take it when he thrust into her without any chance to prepare. A few seconds of squirming awkwardly behind her later, Sasuke thrusts into Sakura while the girl wonders if he's fully in yet, but keeps her mouth shut before the fantasy of being made love to plays in her head, and has the belief the night is still young.

That was shattered within five seconds of her little fantasy when Sasuke shot his load into her, fell onto the bed, and went to sleep before the pink haired girl blinked in shock. At first, she was assuming he wanted to do more from a new position, but hearing him snore, and stay limp told Sakura otherwise. Even worse, the girl's already fan girl based mind made her believe that the problem was _herself_, and needed to improve in order to keep Sasuke interested. In Sakura's mind, the more interested Sasuke was in her, the longer he would last, and be able to satisfy her in return.

That had yet to happen in her eyes, mind, and loins.

"In any case, we need to prepare ourselves for the fight that will happen, and be prepared to kill him," said Shikamaru with the others nodding.

"I'm ready now. Just give me a chance and I'll send a kunai right between or into one of his eyes," replied Tenten since she wanted to hurt Naruto after hearing from Tsunade about how much of a monster he secretly was.

Her idol was never wrong when it came to judging people so why would Tenten question the Gondaime Hokage now?

As for Hinata, she watched them all, listening to what the other Leaf Shinobi around her age would do to Naruto if they had the chance, and was silently seething at what she had heard. Naruto had done so much for Konoha, brought in so many powerful allies, clients, and defended the village despite the fact its overall populace would sooner kill him just for breathing within its walls. When she heard his promise, Hinata knew that Konoha would one day fall, despite the return of the Yondaime, his wife, the Sandaime, and even Orochimaru of all people. Hinata knew when an Uzumaki made a promise, it was kept no matter what, and not even death itself stood in the way such a vow.

And Naruto did not disappoint in that regard. He was back from wherever his bloodied body had been for the past six years. Now Naruto was bigger, stronger, and far more determined then ever it seemed to bust some heads if what she heard happened to the invasion force sent to Wave Country was any indication. But what did that mean for her? Did he even remember her? When he promised _everyone_ in Konoha would be wiped out, did Naruto also include her in that? Hinata hoped not! While she was positive he did not hate her, there was no telling what his frame of mind was, and if Naruto would lash out at her.

She never was able to know what Naruto was thinking when growing up and Hinata felt she needed to see him again to find out.

Hinata realized that the best way to do that...was to leave Konoha. Yes. She would leave the village and head to Wave Country to seek out the boy now grown man of a crush. A man, who when growing up, had showed her that you had to keep fighting for what was yours no matter what. To take hits and hit back when it mattered. To fight back no matter how big the odds, the enemy, and the numbers that went with them. Hinata saw Naruto come from nothing, live off of nothing, and survive against the dark abyss with nothing. She admired Naruto's courage, his determination, and inner strength that most people did not have these days since no one had suffered like he had suffered. And for what? For being a Jinchuriki? She didn't care about that. Naruto was not some monster. If he had been a monster, the village would not be standing, and she wouldn't be alive right now.

Hinata knew who the _real_ monsters and demons were and some of them were standing in front of her.

'I'm coming Naruto-kun. I just hope you don't hate me like you do the others in Konoha. I do wonder what you will do when you see me again after so long. Will I be hugged? Or will I be killed? Will our reunion be joyous? Or will it and I by extension...be damned?' thought Hinata, as she walked away from the group, not wanting to hear anymore, and decided to go for a walk around Konoha to clear her mind.

She didn't notice Shikamaru was looking at her from the corner of his eyes with a hint of suspicion in them.

(A/N: YAY! Another update. It pays to work on this late at night when no one is around to bother you and you've got some good mojo flowing for writing. Hope you liked this chapter. As to what happens next? Only the Elder Gods know! And they aren't telling. LOL! Until next time...PEACE!)


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6-An Alliance made whole

"I'll get right to the point, this war with Konoha for the past six years has been killing us and killing us badly. Both in our numbers with our Shinobi forces and financially in terms of bleeding us dry. We need a plan to turn this war around," said the Raikage known as A while sitting in a room where a secret meeting between three other Kages and one female Daimyo were currently residing.

"Its not easy fighting against the former Yondaime Hokage on the battlefield. I should know since Iwa has suffered greatly at his hands. Not to mention Jiraiya's of the Sannin's spy network, Hiruzen coming back from the dead, and in his prime no less. There is also the fact Konoha has two Uzumakis on their side with the ability to suppress a Biju, which means our Jinchuriki are useless against them," said the Sandaime Tsuchikage sadly, as he knew Iwa wanted blood for what Minato did in the last war, and were willing to do whatever it took to get it.

But the old man still wondered about the risks.

"Not to mention they have been expanding and taking over weaker countries that cannot defend themselves while the Fire Daimyo supports them under false evidence Jiraiya's spy network provides to justify each invasion. They recently went after to Wave Country over the name of a bridge that connects to the main land," added Terumi Mei, as she had been trying to get Kiri up to speed since ending the civil war, and found it increasingly difficult with pressure from Fire Country embargoing Water Country on bogus charges of pirating their trading ships.

"Fire Country has been making a mess of things for my country in terms of trade as well as heavily taxing the movie studios I work with for my movies. Add to the fact they have betrayed my country's hero is one of the reasons I have supported your fight against them for their transgressions," replied Spring Daimyo Koyuki, who had practically demanded the Fire Daimyo provide an explanation for Konoha's actions against Naruto, but the man refused to give one.

The Fire Daimyo acted like a pompous ass, waving that fan at himself like he was trying to stop sweating, even though there was barely any heat in the room when they spoke. The man was a dimwitted idiot, who only saw what was in front him, and what his much smarter advisors (who were on Konoha's payroll) told the Fire Daimyo what they wanted the man to know. The Advisors whispered into the Fire Daimyo's ear for one moment and the Feudal Lord told Koyuki that neither he nor Konoha had to give her any explanation regarding Naruto. That her demanding one regarding a "weak insignificant peasant" was unprofessional for someone of Koyuki's station as a Daimyo and she should leave before things between their country's got hostile.

"I know what you mean Koyuki-sama. Naruto was my first friend. He suffered more then I ever could have as a Jinchuriki. Even when he completed the mission assigned to him, the Leaf set out to kill Naruto, and make sure he never achieved his dreams," replied Gaara, as he had worked to prove himself to Suna, and that he was worthy of being called its Kazekage.

"That aside, we need to find a way to turn this war in our favor. We are currently stuck in a stalemate with them. _Barely _I might add. We were fortunate the Yondaime Hokage's sudden disappearance just a few days ago allowed Tsuchikage-sama's Iwa Shinobi to take a key defensive position Konoha has kept theirs for years," explained the Raikage.

"It was a crucial outpost that protected their trade routes and resources they are using to fund their war machine. Taking it has allowed us to gain equal footing against Konoha, but for how long is the _real _problem," said the Tsuchikage knowing the position could be taken away from Iwa at any moment.

"Agreed. But the Yondaime Hokage or anyone of the highly skilled Shinobi around his level won't let this slide. Also, there is also the fact that quite a few old Konoha Shinobi from my generation have regained their youth, and Orochimaru has been slithering about looking for test subjects near each of our territories," replied Mei since she knew Konoha was not one to let defeats go without paying a price for it.

"Which is why we must consider a...temporary truce with them," replied the Tsuchikage, as he was considered the "Fence Sitter" for a reason, and this was one of them.

"A temporary truce? Now?! We have a chance to push forward!" protested A angrily at the Sandaime Tsuchikage.

"I know, but we also risk overstepping our reach, and could cost us more. The position my forces took recently is not ready to be defended by a retaliating force. You just said it yourself Raikage-sama, this war is killing us badly, and we have no way of pressing the attack. All we've done up until now has allowed us equal footing with Konoha for this alliance as a whole. Konoha has Taki on its side, which I recall has a Jinchuriki under its command, and one of the more higher level of tails. Konoha must know what we do and that we are at a stalemate with them with neither side having room to push forward. All of you know its true," replied the Tsuchikage with the others nodding.

"If we could gain some kind of asset, something powerful, or maybe a new ally on our side we could make that push to break the deadlock," replied Mei, as she knew such a miracle was practically nonexistent since Konoha seemed to have quality, and quantity in terms of Shinobi now that their old veterans were somehow young again.

"I might be able to help with that," came a voice from the shadows and a figure appeared from it while the three Kages stood on edge while Koyuki tense when she stood while her two samurai bodyguards had swords drawn.

"Who are you? How did you find us?" demanded Sabaku no Gaara, as he saw the figure's smirk despite the shadows covering the large form with red crimson eyes.

"I'm hurt Gaara. I would think you of all people would recognize someone who knocked almost quite literally, some sense into you all those years ago," remarked the figure, as he came further into the light of the dark meeting room, and smiled at his old friend.

"Naruto?" asked Gaara, as he saw his friend had changed into this massive demonic giant of a man standing before him, and the Kazekage wondered how this was possible.

"Its been a long time Gaara. You've become Kazekage I see. You became what I once wanted in Konoha. I'm glad," said the former Emperor of Outworld now turned Daimyo of Wave Country with the robes to match underneath his usual armored attire.

'This is Uzumaki Naruto. This well muscled hunk of a man? Sure he's got crimson eyes and a demonic feel to him, but still...there is a _man_ underneath those robes,' thought Mei, as she started to have dreamy ideas regarding this man, and her bodyguard Ao was now sweating from what he was seeing.

'She's getting that look again. Not only that, but my eye hurts when looking at this man, and the power he's generating is enormous!' thought Ao worriedly while seeing the man claiming to be Uzumaki Naruto walk up to the round meeting table before looking at everyone in this room.

"How did you find us? This meeting and its location is a secret," questioned A, as he saw the figure glance at him, and then at the Tsuchikage.

"Jiraiya's spy network knows more then you give them credit for Raikage of Kumo. And for the record, I no longer go by the name of Uzumaki Naruto. Its Shao Kahn now," said Shao Kahn while glancing at Koyuki, who walked over to him, and stared into his eyes.

"You have been through a lot since that eventful day when Konoha betrayed your trust and tried to have you executed. I can see it in your eyes," remarked Koyuki while Shao Kahn nodding.

"More then you know. I have done things that are...unbefitting of my status as a hero to you and Spring Country," replied Shao Kahn before he was surprised to find her smiling at him and hugging the man with her hands barely reaching around his back.

No one but Ao noticed the dark aura growing around Mei.

'Status...unbefitting...marriage...in spring,' thought Mei while Ao was wondering how to diffuse this situation.

"Mizukage-sama, I don't...," said Ao before Mei quickly looked at him.

"Ao, shut up or I will kill you," said Mei in a sweet sickly tone that told Ao that he was going to die should her words were ignored.

"I don't care what you've done since your departure. You are still Naruto-kun to me. You are still the Hero of Spring Country to me," whispered Koyuki while Shao Kahn closed his eyes and felt something in him pulse beneath the darkness that was what he was now from the magic of the Dragon King.

"I thank you for that. It is not easy being what I am and being loved for the events of my former life. They tend to contradict each other and clash within my mind," replied Shao Kahn, as he turned to the Raikage, and saw the man's two Jinchuriki were beside him.

"Answer my question. How did you know about this meeting and this exact location. Jiraiya's spy network is good, but not _that_ good," remarked A, as he saw Shao Kahn nodding in agreement.

"I was actually on my way to Suna when I came upon a large squad of Konoha ANBU ready for a full blown battle with one or a group of powerful people. After my newly recruited and deadly..._bodyguard_ and I killed most of them, we interrogated the ANBU Captain for information. We eventually learned that Jiraiya had his spy network feed him information about this meeting from one of his sources...from within your own ranks Raikage-sama," replied Shao Kahn with A looking ready to throw something big and heavy at something.

"Impossible! I made this meeting top secret. I changed the location twice! The only people who could have known of the change in Kumo was myself, Bee, and Yugito!" protested A with Shao Kahn smirking.

"You are forgetting the messenger used to deliver the messages to the other Kages and Koyuki here of the changes," replied Shao Kahn with A sputtering at first, but stopped when realization dawned on him, and grit his teeth.

"Why would Wi-Fi want to betray us? He's been loyal to Kumo for years," questioned Yugito, as she didn't understand, and it was clear only Shao Kahn knew.

"Your messenger had racked up a few heavy debts when on missions to other countries after he completed them and few of the gambling dens are secretly owned by Jiraiya of the Sannin under false names. Jiraiya was squeezing your subordinate for money and was promising to cancel the debts racked up in exchange for his cooperation in providing the Leaf with crucial information that could shift the war further in their favor," answered Shao Kahn with A looking pissed off right now.

"He sold us out to clear his debts? I'll kill him for that!" exclaimed A angrily while Shao Kahn let out a small chuckle.

"I already did. I also killed the Konoha Shinobi sent to tell Wi-Fi that his debts had been cleared off and by cleared off I mean they were paid...with his life," replied Shao Kahn with A calming down when he heard that.

"So Konoha finds out about this meeting, kills everyone here in a surprise attack, and then they kill the spy they were pressuring for information. With our deaths, they could crush our villages and countries in the ensuing chaos and covering up their tracks in what they did in one swift decisive action following the next," said the Tsuchikage with Shao Kahn nodding.

"And thus making Konoha uncontested among the remaining Shinobi villages, which would be all the minor ones, and even then their days would be numbered," replied Shao Kahn since he knew that eventually Konoha would target the minor ones too.

It was just a matter of time.

"You came to offer your support in the war," Gaara surmised with Shao Kahn nodding.

"Your fight is my fight Gaara. Your enemy is my enemy. We each have been scorned by Konoha in some shape or form. They act like the world belongs to them. That they should rule it. But they are wrong. So very wrong," replied Shao Kahn with that last part coming out as a whisper.

"While your services aren't unwelcome, we need more then just yourself. We need to deal a devastating blow to Konoha to further enforce their position in the world is weakened," said the Sandaime Tsuchikage while Shao Kahn laughed.

"For one, the Yondaime Hokage is no longer able to turn back time on the old Shinobi of Konoha with Senju Tsunade's help. I successfully ripped the half of Kyuubi he had sealed inside of him from his body and merged it with myself. His strength and chakra reserves have been diminished considerably so he's no longer able to fight at such a devastating level. I also killed a large invasion force that was occupying Wave Country and became its new Daimyo. Does that help?" offered Shao Kahn with the Tsuchikage along with the others looking on in shock at this news.

"So that's how Minato did it. He used his half of Kyuubi and Tsunade's medical skills in using chakra to reverse the aging process," said A while happy to hear his Minato had taken a major hit.

"So it is true. I had unconfirmed reports of Wave Country being liberated from Konoha's forces," stated Gaara while he was happy to hear that Naruto was able to save the people there yet again and was rewarded for it by becoming their new leader.

"This is a good step forward, but Wave Country doesn't have an army, and it won't be long before Konoha launches another attack on them," remarked Mei while she saw Shao Kahn turn to look at her and felt her cheeks go slightly warm at the sight of his muscled body being defined behind his clothes.

"Which is why I'm asking each of you to provide me with a sizable Shinobi force to help defend Wave Country from future invasions. Konoha knows that my country has plenty of resources that under their control, could help provide a major form of income for them to fund their war machine while getting a key foothold for a potential navy base to build a fleet to invade Water Country," said Shao Kahn with the three Kages and female Daimyo in the room looked surprised by this.

"And you know this how?" asked A since he could see one part of what Shao Kahn told them to be possible since everyone knew Wave Country, but found the other part a little far fetched.

"Because that was one of the reasons the invasion force attacked Wave Country in the first place. Isn't that right...Anko?" asked Shao Kahn while motioning her forward and the woman stepped out of the shadows.

"She is from Konoha!" stated Gaara with narrowed eyes and his sand shot from his gourd toward the woman to crush her with it.

The woman had caused many of his Shinobi to suffer before dying. Not to mention she no doubt hurt Naruto before the day of his execution.

Only for Shao Kahn to summon his Wrath Hammer to his hand and bring it down on the sand to cause dispersal to the shock of everyone in the room.

"Anko may have belonged to Konoha at one point Gaara, but I've recently brought her under thumb, and under my rule," said Shao Kahn while sending Gaara a pointed look to not do that again.

"How can she be trusted? For all we know this woman is going to betray you like Konoha did years ago," questioned Koyuki with her eyes on Anko, who was currently not looking anyone in the eyes, and trying to avoid theirs.

"I have my ways. She can no more betray me then she can kill anyone here unless I were to give the order. I meant it when I said Mitarashi Anko belongs to me," replied Shao Kahn with a grin on his face and turned to Anko who flinched under his gaze.

"You have some kind of slave seal on her, don't you?" A accused/deduced from the way he saw the two.

"You are partially correct Raikage-sama. You could say the seal on her is both a gift and a..._curse_ of sorts," remarked Shao Kahn while the eyes of the Kages in the room widened.

"You put a Curse Seal on her like Orochimaru did?" asked Gaara while Shao Kahn shook his head at him.

"No. I replaced Orochimaru's Curse Seal or rather _half _of his Curse Seal with my power to make her subservient to me. Unlike Orochimaru's Curse Seal, this one is active, and will give her an increase in power when required. However, to ensure Anko knows her place, and doesn't try to betray me in any sense of the word...the seal causes Anko a great deal of pain if any attempt is made by her. She learned that the hard way several times after Konoha's invasion of Wave Country was brought to an end. Right Anko?" answered Shao Kahn while motioning Anko over to him and she obeyed though the glare in her eyes said to everyone that she didn't want to obey.

"That is...correct," replied Anko in a reluctant tone.

"Impressive," remarked the Sandaime Tsuchikage with Shao Kahn smirking.

"This is the price of betraying one's self. She was like me once. Hated. Shunned. No one wanted to be around her. Or love her. Then they offered Anko a chance to be loved. All she had to do...was hate and abuse me like she was one of _them _all along. It seems fitting that her life belongs to the one she chose to abandon for 'greener pastures' while leaving someone else who suffered growing up to die," remarked Shao Kahn with Anko glaring at him.

"I still had a chance at a life. I knew you were as good as dead when they told me the offer. I had to make a choice. I wasn't about to stick my neck out for some scrawny ass kid, wearing mostly orange, acted like a baka almost all the time, and was _pretending_ to be a Shinobi. You were dead weight!" exclaimed Anko while the others in the room watched the two interact and waited for Shao Kahn to do something.

What he did do...was laugh

"You're right. I was all those things. But you were just as pathetic, if not more then I was back then Anko. You were a dango eating junky. You loved to hurt people whether they deserved it or not. You walked around looking like a slut with your choice in kunoichi attire and smirked all the while knowing it was true. You loved to dress in such a manner and loved to make men drool when they watched you go by, but never made the approach to ask you out. Of course its no surprise since no one really took you seriously outside of the fact Orochimaru was once your teacher before he threw your ass away. What man in their right mind would want to date, much less _fuck_ a pathetic, discarded student of the notorious Orochimaru of the Sannin?" said Shao Kahn in a mocking tone while Anko grit her teeth.

"Shut up," whispered Anko angrily since she didn't want anyone to heat this, but knew it wasn't possible, and had to stand there while the others in the room listened.

"Why? Because its true? Face it Anko, I may have been a lost cause in being a Shinobi by the age of twelve, but you were a lost cause long before then. A discarded experiment, who had two choices once entering Konoha. Become a loyal Shinobi to earn your right to be accepted, _or _become a cheap whore in the village's Red Light District where every Shinobi could take their frustrations out on you for what Orochimaru had done in the past. Not much of a life either way since both were worthless to begin with. It would have been better for you to just kill yourself and let the animals eat your body. Not to mention Iruka only started to like you _after_ the powers that be in Konoha decided to act as one voice and mind to turn the perceptions of the populace in your favor. All so you could become like them and hate me in their place," continued Shao Kahn before Anko's hands clenched into fists and moved to punch him in the face.

Only for the seal to activate and Anko fell to the ground in pain.

"Bastard!" exclaimed Anko while hating the fact his words hurt and the seal just made it worse.

"The truth hurts, doesn't it Anko?" asked Shao Kahn coldly while not caring how the others perceived this display of power over the woman.

He enjoyed seeing this woman on her knees in pained and forced submission. It was only fair since Anko had repeatedly mocked him in a very similar fashion years ago during her alone time in "questioning" him about what happened with his battle against Sasuke.

"You wouldn't be talking so high and mighty without this seal keeping me from kicking your ass," retorted Anko, as she had been humiliated one day after the next by obeying his every command, and feeling intense pain when she refused to follow through with his orders.

"As if you had the power to do so in my present state. Or did you forget I gave you the chance to fight for your freedom in a fight? A fight which you _lost_!" said Shao Kahn with Anko gritting her teeth again in pain and humiliation at the memory of their fight.

Shao Kahn had put up with her verbal bitching soon after returning to what would be his new home, which was fitting since it was an impressive castle worthy of his station as a Daimyo. However, the man's patience with her had gone thin quick, fast, and in a hurry before making the woman an offer to earn her freedom by fighting him. If Anko won, he would let her go, free from the seal, and she could go back to Konoha to tell them what she knew. If she lost? She was his bitch for the night in bed once fully healed and accept her new life regardless of how he treated her in the future.

Anko accepted of course. Hitting him with just about everything in her arsenal and using every single strategy she knew to possibly win. In the end however, her new Master had beaten the former Special Jounin badly before dragging her form to the bedroom, where he proceeded to use his power to heal her injuries using the very seal that bound her to him. After that, he ripped off what clothing she had left, and then claimed the woman that night in a way Anko had never been taken before that night.

While she mentally despised Shao Kahn for what he did to her, the body she no longer could no longer say was hers had embraced him, and his lust filled actions that night. Anko had never been dominated like that, as she always thought of herself as being the one in charge of a relationship, and this was thought to be proven with Iruka when they were together. However, the seal on her body, and Shao Kahn's own aggressive means of intimacy had completely overpowered whatever rational form of protest the mind would create. She had lost. He had won. She was an example of what happened to Shinobi who were restrained by the enemy under the terms of being "spoils of war" as many would say. It happened with Konoha's enemies in the last six years so why should she be made an exception in such a case with being Shao Kahn's first trophy?

"I haven't forgotten," mumbled Anko before the seal on her neck stopped glowing and the pain went away.

No one seemed to notice her cheeks had become slightly flush. If the group around the two did notice it, they were unsure if this was because Anko was embarrassed, angry, or something else.

"Good. Now stand up and act like a respectful bodyguard for a change," command Shao Kahn before he turned to address the rest of the group.

'So commanding. He can force me into submission anytime,' thought Mei, as she liked what she saw in terms of power, and commanding tone made her loins being to froth once again.

"This display of power not withstanding, what exactly are you proposing in terms of helping us in our war against Konoha?" asked A, as he saw Shao Kahn turn to his gaze upon him, and the Raikage felt himself feeling intimidated by the giant man even taller then himself.

"As I said, I wish a small Shinobi force from each of your villages be provided to come protect Wave Country from future invasion. At same time, I will personally fight Konoha Shinobi, and ensure those like my so called _Father_ are crushed underneath my feet until Konoha falls one way or another," offered Shao Kahn with everyone looking shocked to hear this since Daimyos never went into battle.

Not since before the Wandering Clans Era for Shinobi before hidden village were formed to unite scattered clans together.

"But...you're a Daimyo of a country! No offense to Koyuki-sama here, but someone on the throne ruling over people does not normally...fight in a battle or war unless you have an army behind you," said Baki, who had been acting as bodyguard for Gaara, and had decided to voice his opinion on the matter.

"Normally, such a thing is true. But I am not one to sit on a throne and let others simply do the fighting for me. I was a warrior first and foremost when I became what I am. I shall continue to be one here and now," said Shao Kahn, as he saw Baki nodding, and decided to keep his mouth shut.

"Konoha will seek to kill you before any offensive on your end can begin my old friend," said Gaara with Shao Kahn letting out a chuckle.

"Let them come. It will just mean they die sooner then later," remarked Shao Kahn before walking back into the shadows and Anko following right behind him.

"Still want to have a temporary truce with Konoha?" asked Mei to the Tsuchikage, who looked like someone had lit a fire under his ass, and he almost looked ten years younger.

"After what I just learned and saw at the hands of our newest ally? Not a chance! Let's bury Konoha deep into the ground where they belong," replied the Sandaime Tsuchikage with the others now smirking at him.

(Akatsuki HQ)

"Is this accurate? Uzumaki Naruto has returned?" asked Pein while each member of the Akatsuki was assembled.

"Yes. Konoha is in an uproar. They aren't even trying to hide it despite knowing what it will do in rallying their enemies who see the Kyuubi Jinchuriki as a hero. Apparently, the boy has become a full blown demonic warrior, and took down the invading force in Wave Country...all by himself I might add," replied Itachi with silence echoing in the room for a few seconds.

"I see. So the Kyuubi Jinchuriki has gotten stronger since his escape from Konoha. They sent a hefty force to Wave Country that would give one of us trouble if fighting alone. Itachi, you will take Kisame, and fight the Kyuubi Jinchuriki in battle. Test him in terms of strength, gauge his power, but do not capture unless its possible," commanded Pein with Itachi nodding.

"Finally! I get to see if the Kyuubi brat is worth my time fighting. He was trembling in fear of me once I took the Biju's power away with a single swing of Samehada the last time we met," remarked Kisame with a grin on his face.

"Don't underestimate him Kisame. From what our spies have reported, he's not the same Kyuubi Jinchuriki we know, and not afraid to kill others," warned Itachi with Kisame just grunting at him.

"We'll see," said Kisame casually.

"What about the other Jinchuriki? We've been behind schedule by three years now," said Sasori since the plan was to take the Jinchuriki from their villages three years ago, but the reemergence of the Yondaime Hokage, and his family along with other key players had set the organization back.

"Now that we have all the pieces on the board, the time is nearly upon us to capture all nine Jinchuriki from their hidden locations. However, we must not forget that Konoha has been after us as well, and won't hesitate to use our movements to their advantage. We will move when Konoha is not looking and monitoring us so closely like I sense they are now," replied Pein while looking at everyone with his Rinnegan Eyes.

They didn't dare contradict him.

(Fire Country Border-One week Later)

Hinata rushed to the border of Fire Country, her heart pounding with excitement, and fear at the same time. Why? Because she was on the run. Hinata had made food for her squad last night and secretly mixed in a powerful sedative into it before rushing off to Wave Country. The squad had been on a patrol mission to watch over the area and Hinata had been put into the rotation since her eyes were necessary for scouting. Many had assumed Hinata had gotten over her crush of Naruto, believing he had died soon after escaping the Leaf, and his scheduled execution. That her affection for Naruto died that day and she was acting like a real Shinobi because of him not being around to distract her.

They were wrong.

Hinata got stronger all right, but not for the reasons the powers that be in Konoha first thought. Hinata had pushed herself for Naruto. To get stronger for Naruto. To become a kunoichi of unrivaled skill for Naruto so that in the event they meet up again, he would be able to see her, and see just how much she had grown for him. Even if she could not have his love, Hinata could still gain his respect, and acknowledgment as a kunoichi.

'I'm almost there. I'm almost there,' thought Hinata, as she memorized the most direct route to Wave Country from where her squad had setup camp.

Only to be caught by an invisible force that prevented any further movement.

"Shadow Possession Jutsu is a success!" declared Shikamaru, as he had sensed Hinata would try something soon, and had secretly requested he be put on the girl's team.

Like Hinata, he knew the quickest route to Wave Country was where the patrol was sent, and the girl was a Master when it comes to using herbs for all things medicinal. It would not be difficult for Hinata to make some form of powdery sedative, pass it off as spice for the food, and wait for the team to eat before falling asleep for hours. By the time the team woke up, she would have been long gone, in Naruto's arms, and the Hokage would have been angry beyond measure.

Which was why Shikamaru ate ration bars and secretly dumped his food on the ground behind him while the rest of the group ate their meal. A gamble to be sure, but necessary to test his suspicions that Hinata would abandon Konoha to be with Naruto, and take the first chance she got to flee to Wave Country to be with him.

"So you figured it out Shikamaru," whispered Hinata, as she was forced to turn around, and face Shikamaru, and walk toward the Nara.

"It wasn't hard to figure out where your loyalties lie Hinata. Even if trapping you with my Shadow Possession Jutsu was troublesome," remarked Shikamaru while Hinata glared at him.

"You will not stop me from leaving," declared Hinata with Shikamaru frowning at her.

"You would betray Konoha for Naruto? Your home for him?" questioned Shikamaru with Hinata's scowl increasing.

"In a heartbeat. If you were truly as smart as everyone claims, then the reason behind my actions should become clear," said Hinata with Shikamaru sighing.

"I do understand you troublesome woman. I understood your reason before the mission even started. You're in love with the baka," replied Shikamaru before finding Hinata was fighting against his Jutsu.

"He's not a baka! Don't call him that!" replied Hinata angrily.

"Okay. Say he's not a baka. It doesn't mean him being back will change things. He's a monster now Hinata. He killed Konoha Shinobi without mercy. Iruka-sensei is dead. Anko is his prisoner. Who knows what Naruto is doing to her," said Shikamaru with Hinata struggling harder.

"No more then what she deserves. Anko was hated like Naruto-kun, but once Konoha stopped hating her for the Curse Seal on her neck, she turned into the very people who once hated her like they did him. So why should I care about a hypocrite like Anko? Like Iruka-sensei? One pretended to care about Naruto while another suffered like him, but in the end they showed their true colors, and attacked an innocent boy for the demon sealed inside his body. How is that right?" Hinata challenged with Shikamaru straining to hold the Jutsu in place.

"Its too troublesome to think about Hinata. Its even more troublesome for us question our leaders on this. Was it wrong what Konoha did? Yes. Should they have moved to execute Naruto? No. But that is life. Sacrifices must be made whether its on a Shogi board or in life," explained Shikamaru with Hinata looking furious.

"And you still wonder why Temari-san broke off any contact with you after Suna decided to terminate its newly made alliance with Konoha. You're clearly not nearly as smart as you really think Shikamaru," replied Hinata with Shikamaru scowling deeper at her.

"That mouth of yours is almost as troublesome as your actions here. I'm sorry Hinata, but you won't be seeing Naruto anytime soon. I'm taking you back to Konoha to be tried for desertion and face the Hokage's judgment. At the very least, you will have your mind altered, and your personality changed to one befitting a Konoha Shinobi," said Shikamaru while Hinata struggled harder when hearing that.

"Over my dead body!" proclaimed Hinata knowing what that would mean for her should they succeed.

Her Gentle Fist fighting style lost forever. The Cage Bird Seal on her head with her deal with the rest of the Hyuuga Clan lost. A life of suffering for reasons unknown until the day she died by arrogant clansmen. The love she felt for Naruto would be lost and no doubt be replaced with hate for him for reasons not her own.

"Troublesome. It would just be easier to kill you now and explain myself later. I am sorry Hinata," replied Shikamaru, as he manipulated the shadows below Hinata to rise up over her body, and moved to strangle the Hyuuga.

"Says the man who is afraid of being in a commitment with a woman," said a dark voice behind Shikamaru and making the Nara's eyes go wide in shock while feeling sweat now descend down his neck.

"Naruto," whispered Shikamaru while looking behind him and saw the giant figure with the massive hammer based weapon in hand.

"Its Shao Kahn actually. And what's this I hear you were going to kill Hinata? Or were you going to choke her until she was unconscious? Once you did that, you could bring Hinata back to Konoha, and have her personality altered. Right?" questioned Shao Kahn with Shikamaru feeling very unprotected right now.

The Nara strategist was starting to wonder if this was how some inmates taking a shower felt if they dropped the soap? That this was the feeling of dread when there was a large guy behind them with a cruel smile on their face expressing the desire to cause pain.

"Naruto, I know you are angry with me, and the other Rookies for turning our backs on you. But...But you have to understand that we had to do it. There was just no strategic value in siding with you when Sasuke was brought back to Konoha," explained a scared Shikamaru before feeling his control over his shadow retract toward him since he would need his strength to redirect it toward the entity behind him.

"Not everything is about strategy Shikamaru. The best laid plans never work. This isn't a game my old _friend_. This isn't Shogi where you lose the match and you can play another one with your opponent in the future. This is real life and you've lost. Time to pay up," replied Shao Kahn with Shikamaru nodding before his eyes hardened.

"You first," replied Shikamaru before directed his Shadow Possession Jutsu on Shao Kahn and trapped their shadows together before moving swiftly up his body to wrap the hands that formed around his neck.

"No!" exclaimed Hinata, as she moved to strike the Nara, and free the giant man that was once Uzumaki Naruto from Shikamaru's grasp.

"Checkmate! You have lost Naruto," replied Shikamaru, as he knew the quickest action that followed this was to make the shadow based hands snap Naruto's neck before Hinata could reach them.

Only to find himself unable to follow through with the plan due to Naruto breaking the Shadow Possession Jutsu and grabbed the Nara's neck from behind.

Before snapping it and throwing the dead Konoha Shinobi away.

"Worthless sloth," remarked Shao Kahn before focusing on Hinata, who stopped to stare at her former crush, and see what he had had become since she last saw him.

"Naruto-kun?" asked Hinata, as she moved slowly to approach him, and slightly afraid he would attack her for some reason.

"It's Shao Kahn now," replied Shao Kahn solemnly while Hinata nodded.

"You look...well!" said Hinata while mentally screaming at herself for saying something so pathetic.

"As do you. You've become the beautiful woman I knew you would become when you grew up. And no doubt a powerful kunoichi," said Shao Kahn with Hinata blushing and nodding.

"I have gotten stronger. I challenged my family for the right to use my version of the Gentle Fist style and become a free woman so I no longer have to worry about going through an arranged marriage. I now have a chance to be with the man my heart desires," replied Hinata while Shao Kahn nodding though he looked a bit saddened about the last part.

"I see. The lucky man you've chosen to marry will be happy to have such a woman such as yourself to call his wife," stated Shao Kahn before he put his Wrath Hammer away, and was surprised to see Hinata walked toward him again.

"You misunderstand. My heart...my heart desires _you_...Naruto-kun," said Hinata with Shao Kahn looking at her in shock since he didn't think she would still want to be with him after all this time.

"You wish to be with me? Even now?! Knowing that I am...not the boy you once knew? Knowing I'm no longer _human_?" questioned Shao Kahn with Hinata nodding and once more took a step forward with determination in those lavender eyes.

"I don't care about what you are or what you've done to become like this. I care about you as a whole," replied Hinata with Shao Kahn looking at her right in the eyes.

"I suspected you cared about me, but I wasn't sure. People can be..._deceptive_ when they want to be and play with one's heart," said Shao Kahn, as he wanted to believe the girl he knew briefly back then, who blossomed into the woman before him, did in fact care about his well being.

"Not to you. Never to you," replied Hinata, as she felt herself walking closer to him until they were barely a foot apart, and she found herself unable to look away from his helmet covered face.

It actually made Shao Kahn a bit uncomfortable to have someone look at him with such devotion when not under the influence of some spell from a sorcerer. Or a power beyond one's own control that made you do something that you normally wouldn't do at all.

"I have done things. Terrible things. Things that would disgust you. Betray your image of me," said Shao Kahn with Hinata not backing down.

"I know. I'm not a naive little girl. I never believed you wouldn't change from your ordeal with Konoha or wherever you went once entering that portal. I would have changed too if I had been in whatever position life threw at you after escaping your execution," replied Hinata, as she wasn't going to believe the boy she had a crush on, and later felt love for had stayed a naive person believing he could overcome anything through sheer willpower alone.

"Once you come with me...there is no turning back," Shao Kahn reminded her.

"I knew there was no turning back when I sedated my squad to escape and started my run toward Wave Country," replied Hinata with Shao Kahn nodding.

"Then let us go...before anymore filth from Konoha decide to intervene," said Shao Kahn with a small smile and Hinata returned it when he extended his hand to her.

'A part of the Naruto-kun I know is there still. That's all I care about,' thought Hinata, as she took his hand, and the two walked toward Wave Country.

By the time the Konoha patrol team woke up and searched for Hinata, all they would find is the body of Nara Shikamaru with his neck snapped, and his body mostly eaten by wild animals.

(Konoha-Days Later)

"Hinata abandoned Konoha?!" asked Kurenai in shock at hearing her former student had left Konoha.

"Yes. She drugged her squad and got in a fight with Shikamaru. Though from what I was able to examine from the bodily remains, another person may have been involved, and I think I know who it was," replied Tsunade with Kurenai gritting her teeth in anger since she knew who it was the Hokage was referring to since there could only be one person Hinata would leave Konoha for.

"The Kyuubi brat!" exclaimed Kurenai in anger due to knowing Naruto had Anko in his clutches as well as Hinata now.

"Yes. I don't know how he found out, but Naruto met up with Hinata, and took her to Wave Country after she fled the squad patrolling the area. Shikamaru came to me in the belief Hinata would flee to Wave Country, but I was skeptical of his opinion, and yet I wasn't going to take the risk of him being right. So I assigned him to the team to watch Hinata's actions should she attempt to run," explained Tsunade with Kurenai gritting her teeth.

"Permission to join the retrieval team to bring back Hinata," said Kurenai with Tsunade shaking her head no.

"Denied. You maybe a kunoichi Kurenai, but you are also a Mother, and have only just gotten back to active duty when not spending time with your child," replied Tsunade with Kurenai once more becoming angry.

"But he had Hinata now. Not to mention Anko is his prisoner!" protested Kurenai with Tsunade nodding with her scowl increasing.

"I'm well aware of that fact. But we have to handle the issues of Konoha as a whole and I can't spare the Shinobi needed to infiltrate, much less attack Naruto to rescue Anko, and being Hinata back for proper recondition. Iwa has gained ground since Naruto's return, putting us on the defensive, and our loss at Wave has prevented us from preparing our plans to create a fleet for invading Water Country on hold. Not only that, but Jiraiya recently told me that his spy in Kumo was killed, and a special ANBU attack squad in connection to another mission capable of ending the war in our favor were destroyed. I won't go into details about it because the mission is beyond your pay grade, but if it had been a success, we wouldn't have to worry about our enemies rallying against us," said Tsunade with Kurenai looking extremely upset right now.

"What about the Akatsuki? I thought Jiraiya-sama was watching their movements? Are they going after the demon?" asked Kurenai with Tsunade shrugging.

"We don't know yet. They probably will go after Naruto, but when they do is unknown, and Jiraiya's spies have yet to say anything to him," replied Tsunade with Kurenai letting out a sigh of defeat.

"Will you at least consider me for the retrieval team when one is being made?" asked Kurenai with Tsunade nodding.

"Of course. Though you should get all your affairs in order before I send you on such a mission to ensure that nothing happens to your child in the event you die. The brat has already killed quite a few Konoha Shinobi, most of them stronger then you are right now I might add," Tsunade reminded her and Kurenai nodded while making a mental note to go home to up her training.

She would no doubt need it in the future.

(Namikaze Estates)

"I can't believe that damn brat did this to us! All of our years of planning, training, and our fighting in this new war has been setback because of one single brat!" exclaimed Minato angrily, as he heard from Jiraiya about how the secret meeting between their enemies had not been crushed, and their spy who told them the meeting's location had been killed.

Before Konoha could do it to cover their tracks in the planned chaos that was meant to follow. With the leaders killed, chaos would erupt from within each Shinobi village, and Spring Country would plunge into a civil war before a Regent could be appointed. A Regent, which Konoha would manipulate through Danzo's implanted Sharingan Eye to support Fire Country, and slowly begin the process of bringing it under their control. As for the Shinobi villages, their new leaders would be given false information on how their predecessors all turned on each other at the meeting, and one killed Koyuki during the fighting. Using the chaos and unrest, Konoha would swoop in, destroy the four divided Shinobi villages, take Spring Country, and use their overwhelming might to bring all the minor villages that were left under their thumb.

Only for Naruto to prevent that and thus prolonging the war!

"The Fire Daimyo wasn't pleased to hear his new seaport he planned to setup once Wave Country was taken over had been put on hold. He had high hopes in creating a brand new seaport to build another naval fleet that could be used to enforce the embargo on Water Country before we invade," said Jiraiya with Minato sneering.

"And with that plan scraped at the moment, the materials purchased to make the seaport once Wave Country was taken over are now wasting away in storage, and put a financial hole in Fire Country's Treasury," remarked Minato knowing that the Fire Daimyo had bough lots of materials and expected to be more then compensated after Wave Country was taken over.

"We need to kill Naruto before he does anymore damage," said Kushina while she saw Naruko outside training.

"Who will lead the mission? You? Me? Kakashi? Jiraiya?" questioned Minato knowing whoever led this mission would have to be the most qualified.

"We should use the Akatsuki organization first to weaken him. I can have my spy within the group influence them with false information and focus on Naruto," said Jiraiya, as he had already been informed by Itachi that the organization was going to probe the demon's abilities, and possibly capture him if possible.

"We should also look into finding a way to use seals to lock him away or control him," replied Kushina while knowing there had to be a way to stop Naruto in that manner.

They just had to figure out how.

(Wave Country)

Hinata was walking around Naruto's or rather _Shao Kahn's_ new castle now fully repaired by the loving people of Wave Country. She was still getting use to the idea of calling him that name or the fact he was now a Daimyo of an entire country. Koyuki herself was said to be arriving by tomorrow via airship to make an alliance between the two countries for a more prosperous future. There was even whispers of a possible marriage proposal if things went really well during the negotiations. Hinata was a little upset by that, but the woman knew that given the situation with his status as a Daimyo would open this door for him. A man, which he _definitely_ was if his muscle mass was any indication, who was now in a seat of immense power, and had the undisputed right as such to have as many women as he wanted. Whether it be romantic or just sexual in nature didn't matter since Shao Kahn was now a man of high status considered beyond reproach.

'Meaning I will most likely have to share,' thought Hinata knowingly before stopping to see Anko walking around the corner and stop at seeing her.

"Hinata," said Anko stiffly with Hinata nodding.

"Anko," Hinata replied back while being just as stiff with her.

The two stayed silent while watching the other, both knowing their roles in Naruto's new life as Shao Kahn: Daimyo of Wave Country, and neither woman liked the other being here. One woman had betrayed Naruto when he was a boy and the other cared about him even after changing into the being now known as Shao Kahn. One woman was a slave and at times a pleasure toy for his amusement and the other was officially a guest in his castle with the option of being more then just a guest also there for the taking.

"I see you're not by the _Master's_ side. I thought by now you would be spreading your legs for him," remarked Anko since she knew of Hinata's desires and how the Hyuuga would do anything the new Wave Daimyo wanted to do if asked.

But Hinata had one problem. She was still a bit shy and afraid of being able to make the man happy in bed. While Hyuuga woman was a full grown adult now, she was still new to the whole idea of pleasing a man sexually, and considering this was her former crush turned demonic love interest...it was a very big leap forward.

"You would know about spreading your legs Anko. We both know you did it before and after meeting Iruka since the man couldn't get you off due to his lack of...well _everything_. It seems only fitting that your brand new role in serving the new Wave Daimyo involves something you are quite familiar with in terms of duties. Though I just hope you don't give our Lord some foul disease you gained from one of your many previous partners that not even his own powers can cure," retorted Hinata without hesitation and saw Anko grit her teeth at her.

"At least I have the experience and the skill to please a man like him. Unlike you, who is simply too afraid to even present herself to him, and offer up your body as payment for living here," Anko countered with Hinata's body going straighter.

"Again, screwing a man simply just to have a place to stay is more up your alley. I'm sure many men in Konoha would agree that you have enjoyed _that_ part of the 'give and take' relationship in such an area," remarked Hinata with Anko looking ready to shoot venom from her mouth.

"Don't act all high and mighty with me Hyuuga. I've had to do what I've done with _him_ in his bed to survive here. The people wanted my ass dead. If I have to be his fuck toy to be spared a mob lynching in this country...then so be it," replied Anko with Hinata smirking now.

"And just remember _this_ Anko, his happiness is the only thing that matters. It is also the only thing keeping you alive and not being considered expendable by his hands. Should you try _anything_, regardless of that seal on your neck designed to prevent such an act, I will see to it that will be the least of your problems," threatened Hinata before walking away from Anko while the former Konoha Shinobi had to hold back the urge to lash out at the Hyuuga.

'Bitch!' thought Anko, as she walked off to train some more, and at least keep her skills sharp since the Daimyo she was now protecting wouldn't tolerate a weak bodyguard.

(Wave Daimyo's Bed Chambers)

Shao Kahn was on his super large bed. The woman Tsunami was lying on top of him, both were naked, sweaty, and feeling pretty damn good right now. Well...Shao Kahn felt good right now, as did Tsunami, but the woman was feeling sore, and tired from what they had just spent many hours doing. But she was content all the same. She was actually surprised to find herself in this situation, as Tsunami didn't expect her time here in Shao Kahn's castle to lead to them going to his bed room where he used his power to turn back time to make her look younger. Like back to her late teens or early twenties type young before getting pregnant with Inari type of younger. After that, he walked away from her, uncertainty in his eyes, and the man warned the woman that his face behind this mask was not the one she knew before sitting down in a large customized chair that had been commissioned to hold his massive build.

And to Tsunami's shock, he removed his war helmet, put it down on a nearby table before turning to face her. As expected, she did gasp at the sight of him, as his spiky blonde hair was gone, completely bald without a single strand on his head, and his blue eyes were red though the woman knew as much since it wasn't exactly covered by the helmet. What she did see in replacement of the hair was protruding spikes that were coming out of his head. It took a moment, but Tsunami realized he was waiting for her reaction, and if she was going to flee the room in horror at seeing his face behind the helmet.

Instead, she walked toward him, even when sitting down the man seemed to tower over her form, and gently touched his face. Tsunami didn't know why, but she felt compelled to do it, caressing the face, and saw the man behind the mask enjoyed her touch. Clearly no one, at least no _woman_ anyway, had ever shown him this kind of affection, and she slowly moved in with her other hand to do the same. Before long she was sitting on his lap and her lips on his own. The kiss was slow at first, but things were quickly speeding up, and Tsunami momentarily felt the clothing she wore being discarded before Shao Kahn picked her up with the two landing on the bed.

And the rest they say...is history.

"Wow!" breathed Tsunami, as she had no idea this would happen, or that it would feel so good.

She couldn't even remember the last time she had sex since it had been that long to the point where memory doesn't count for anything. If she had to remotely guess, the last time was probably night she became pregnant with Inari. The boy's biological deadbeat Father had knocked her up, which was the only good thing he did properly when they were together, and basically left soon after since the pathetic fool didn't want to be tied down. When Kaiza was still alive, she had entertained the idea of being intimate with the man, and possibly having another child with him. But Gato and his minions ruined that for her when they killed the righteous man. After that, Tsunami had basically been acting like nun the whole time, no sex, not toys, and was keeping everything bottled up until now.

"Indeed. I take it you were holding that in for quite some time," remarked Shao Kahn with Tsunami blushing and yet she nodded.

"For years. No toys at all. I used every trick in the book to distract myself from it since I was so afraid I would get pregnant again after Inari was born. Even taking care of Inari helped. After everything that happened with Gato coming here, Kaiza's death, and just about everything else in terms of Wave's recovery kept me occupied," replied Tsunami with Shao Kahn letting out a chuckle.

"I'm no expert on women, but you my dear Tsunami-chan have a Will of iron to have such impressive restraint," remarked Shao Kahn, as he saw her blush deepen, and snuggle closer to him before a thought entered her mind.

"Will this thing between us here be a...one time thing?" asked Tsunami while Shao Kahn now looking down at the woman in front of him.

"Do you want it to be a one time thing? Or do you want this to be more then just the once and done?" asked Shao Kahn with Tsunami sighing and smiling weakly.

"I want it to be more. I know you are a Daimyo and can have more then one woman in your bed. I can accept that. I can also accept that this relationship will more then likely be about sating out lust rather then embracing love. But it has been so long since I have felt _anything_ for anyone in any capacity, and if given this one chance for it...I want to feel things with you," replied Tsunami with Shao Kahn holding her close and sighing.

"This relationship will indeed be based off of lust. At least for now. I don't know what the future holds for me or what I do as Daimyo of these lands, but I will try to make what we have become more then sexual between us. Not only that, but I think Inari is looking up to me more as a Father than a big brother these last couple of days. I wouldn't mind trying to be a responsible parent for a change," said Shao Kahn while Tsunami moved up more and caressed his face again.

"What do you mean?" asked Tsunami before he explained with great reluctance what had happened in Outworld after claiming Edenia in taking Sindel as his Queen and adopting Princess Kitana as his own.

Only to have her replaced by Mileena many years later out of fear of Kitana betraying him after learning the truth.

Tsunami listened intently to the story. Focusing on everything he was telling her, looking for lies, but found none, and seeing the facts provided by Shao Kahn.

Edenia fought in this Mortal Kombat Tournament and lost 10 times in a row.

Shao Kahn then invaded and assimilated the realm as was his right according to the rules set forth by the Elder Gods for winning all 10 tournaments.

Edenia's army of warriors, its King, and Queen had opposed the invasion despite this and were ultimately defeated with Kitana being too young know this until much later.

How Shao Kahn killed Edenia's King before taking Queen Sindel as his bride, only for the woman to kill herself sometime later, and leaving her daughter Kitana to be raised as his loyal daughter/bodyguard.

"As you can see...I am not exactly the hero you once knew," said Shao Kahn at last when his tale was finished.

"When you were with Sindel...did you treat her as a Queen?" asked Tsunami with Shao Kahn nodding.

"Yes. And I raised Kitana like she was my own. As for Mileena, she is actually Kitana's twin and half sister fully grown through the means in which she was created. We never had a chance to truly bond as Father and daughter," answered Shao Kahn with Tsunami nodding.

"While I do not approve of what you did per se, I am glad you treated Sindel with the respect she deserved, and even raised Kitana as your own despite what happened in the end. You did care about Sindel and Kitana to some degree or else you would have killed them both without hesitation. For all the evil you did, there was some good behind it, and I want to help bring that part of you out. The part of you that is still Uzumaki Naruto, who does what he feels is right, and helps others against injustice," replied Tsunami, as she kissed him, and nestled her hand against his chest.

"You will have lot of work ahead of you Tsunami-chan," replied Shao Kahn with while Tsunami smiled up at him.

"I've lived through a lot of hard times and worked just as hard to survive my Lord. I am up to the challenge and I'm sure several other women in your life will be too if given the chance," remarked Tsunami with Shao Kahn nodding.

Maybe...just maybe Uzumaki Naruto was still alive within him after all. All it needed was a small push in the right direction.

(A/N: YAY! Another update for all of you. Having two snow days in a row does wonders for giving you time to write...once all the shoveling is done. Hope you enjoyed it. Now I'm going to rest for a bit and then refocus on some much needed school work so don't expect an update so soon. I know I've said it before, but I mean it this time. Until next time...PEACE!)


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7-The Counter Offensive

Shao Kahn rose from his throne and walked toward Koyuki with a smile on his face before embracing her in a friendly hug. The woman had to fight back the blush on her face from being hugged not only by her country's hero, but the fact this hero was now a tall walking mountain of muscle. This was the first time they had seen each other without anyone else around to question them. His face was clearly different from what the Spring Daimyo remembered of him as a boy, rumors of it being disfigured behind the helmet, and his eyes were glowing crimson red compared to the usual blue she remembered. Of course Koyuki had heard why that was the case, mostly rumors from unreliable sources, but seeing him now after all this time made her wonder if some of them were true, and he had become the very demon Konoha once feared.

'As well as they should for the things done to him,' thought Koyuki while she disengaged the hug and walked with him throughout the castle.

"I don't think I need to try in convincing you that an alliance between our countries would be mutually beneficial," stated Naruto with Koyuki nodding.

"No. You don't. I want an alliance between us. I want our countries to prosper together and bring an end to this war with Fire Country," replied Koyuki with the man beside her nodding.

"The war is really with Konoha. They are the real driving force behind the war with our allies. From what Anko has told me, the Fire Daimyo is in fact an idiot, his Advisors are on Konoha's payroll, and they basically tell him what they want him to know. He gives them money for their war like someone giving out candy to children and believes them incapable of doing wrong under the pretense of a prophecy. Its like saying they have the backing of the Gods themselves and all should fold under them unless they wish to suffer damnation in Hell should they oppose their cause," replied Shao Kahn with Koyuki now frowning.

"It doesn't excuse the Fire Daimyo's ignorance on the matter. He's not much of a leader if his Advisors make all the decisions for him and then whisper what they want into his ear. It sets a bad precedent for all Daimyos to follow and I simply refuse to be like that man," said Koyuki with Shao Kahn agreeing.

"Agreed. But I will not be a Daimyo who sits on his thrown. I intend to fight my enemies as a warrior of battle...and to do that I need your help to launch our next strike against Konoha," stated Shao Kahn with Koyuki being led to what could be considered the Wave Daimyo's war room.

"What did you have in mind?" asked Koyuki while wanting to see what the man had in mind in terms of a strategy.

"As you know, their is a heavy embargo on Water Country, and the 5th Fire Naval Fleet from Fire Country is making any form of trade with the continent nearly impossible. They are trying to bleed the country economically into submission and in a few years time...they will succeed," explained Shao Kahn while showing her a map with the 5th Fire Naval Fleet on the "water" part of the map and various other parts of the world where Konoha's troops were posted.

"And you want my forces to break the embargo," concluded Koyuki with Shao Kahn nodding.

"Yes. Your country currently has enough airships under its command to keep Konoha at bay should they try anything. What I need from you Koyuki, is a small fraction of them to bombard the 5th Fire Naval Fleet from the safety of the air and cripple them, and at the same time get in contact with the Water Daimyo to have his own naval fleet attack them once they are weakened. While this happens, I will need one of the airships to send me to this naval base, where I will descend upon them, and crush Fire Country's only means of producing naval warships," finished Shao Kahn while Koyuki listened intently to his plan and liked everything about it...except one part.

"Who will be coming with you on this mission?" asked Koyuki with Shao Kahn looking at her.

"No one. This mission I will do on my own," replied Shao Kahn with Koyuki gasping in shock.

"What? But that's...that's suicide! The naval ship yard is a highly guard area defended by both Fire Country Samurai and Konoha Shinobi. Even against an unsuspecting surprise attack, one man could stand up against them and win. Not even...not even you are that strong," said Koyuki with Shao Kahn smirking slightly.

"I can pull off the impossible Koyuki. I always have and always will no matter what. It was the one consistent thing in my life when it came to fighting. Just when defeat or death was close to claiming me in battle...I pulled out a victory out of nowhere. Trust me when I say...I will win," replied Shao Kahn with Koyuki still looking worried since it was just him against an army.

"You've never faced odds like this before and there was always someone watching your back," countered Koyuki with Shao Kahn letting out a chuckle.

"True, but I was always too weak all those years ago to fight an army by myself. Make no mistake, in the years I have been away, massive armies have tried to fight me, and they all fell by my hands. There was a reason why I was called Shao Kahn: The Conqueror of Realms," replied Shao Kahn before explaining what he use to do once Onaga changed him into what he was now and after becoming Emperor of Outworld.

There was also some various images in his mind of what he felt happened in another life time, but they were vague, and hard to focus on. Even his dreams seemed to show him in a time that extended beyond his failed invasion of Earthrealm where instead of winning, he lost against its warriors, and returned in a weakened condition. At times, Shao Kahn had suspected these events he saw in his dreams were in fact of another time that led to what could only described as...Armageddon.

But who knows. Perhaps his mind was still playing tricks on him again.

"Even if that is the case Shao Kahn-sama, I feel it is unwise to send you on your own. At least attack with some form of reinforcements. The Hyuuga girl or even Anko could join in the battle. I'm sure they could help you in combat," offered Koyuki with Shao Kahn thinking it over.

"Perhaps I will take them. But it must happen around the time your airships are attacking the 5th Fire Naval Fleet. If I don't attack them now, the fleet nearly finished at the Naval Yard will be deployed to strengthen the embargo, or be used for the invasion of Water Country. They may even strike Wave Country again using it once surrounding us on all side. Either way...I _must_ attack them now!" stated Shao Kahn firmly with Koyuki seeing his determination and knew this was the same determination Uzumaki Naruto had when push came to shove when a fight was about to break out.

He was asking for her trust. Her faith in him.

"How many ships do you need me to send?" asked Koyuki with Shao Kahn looking at the map.

"A small amount. Nothing that will weaken you enough that Konoha would risk sending in an invading force. Somewhere along the line of...at least 10 medium size airships with a few being smaller in design," answered Shao Kahn with Koyuki nodding.

"I'll have them ready to mobilize when I return to Spring Country," replied Koyuki while seeing Shao Kahn's eyes soften now when looking at her.

"Thank you for doing this. I know I'm asking a lot of you and I...I feel strange doing it to someone I care about. Someone I know who I can trust," remarked Shao Kahn while now fighting that dark part of himself that told him to ignore apologizing to the woman.

But he couldn't. Not this one.

"Because of the life you have led before returning here. Because of the warrior and future Emperor of that cruel realm you once ruled," Koyuki surmised with Shao Kahn and now let out a sigh.

"I don't know why I feel this way. I never have before until my return. Sometimes I feel that a part of myself was suppressed by Onaga when he transformed me into this form," said Shao Kahn while gripping the table holding the map of the Elemental Countries on it.

"Maybe he did. Maybe its something else. Whatever it is, know that I trust you. I trust you because I know the _real_ you and the real you cares about others when it counts," said Koyuki while holding onto his arm and felt how tense he was through his muscles.

"Thank you Koyuki. There are times I find myself forgetting that," whispered Shao Kahn while she smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around his massive one.

"Its all right. That's what friends and loved ones are for Shao Kahn-sama. To remind us of what we believe in and what we stand for," replied Koyuki with Shao Kahn raising an unseen eyebrow at her.

"Loved one?" questioned Shao Kahn while giving the woman a knowing look and now had Koyuki blushing.

"Well...that is to say...," replied Koyuki while trying to come up with an excuse and her face became even redder when hearing his chuckle.

"Loved ones. I like that sound of that. I believe this alliance between our two countries will be the beginning of something _wonderful_," said Shao Kahn with a hint of lust in his voice that made Koyuki grip his arm tighter while feeling a sense of heat rushing through her body.

"It has a certain ring to it," said Koyuki in full agreement while the two walked hand in hand together while ignoring the various people throughout the castle.

"I don't believe it! He's going to bang another one!" exclaimed Anko while seeing the two and knew it was only a matter of time before her Master found another woman to screw.

Koyuki's loins were practically frothing when she first met him at the secret meeting with the other Kages and was now getting her chance to see if the man was packing something big between his legs. A something which Anko knew from her own personal experience that he was!

"Why are you so angry? Jealous?" asked Hinata, as she had been lurking in the shadows with Anko, and was watching the two like a bodyguard should.

"As if! Though you would think the man would learn to keep it in his pants given his title and what he represents," remarked Anko while Hinata knew better.

"I think you're upset he's not mounting you right now. That you fear the more women he had relations with, the greater the chance _you _will be cast aside, and be nothing more than a temporary moment in time capable of bringing about some needed stress relief through lust driven sex," countered Hinata with a smirk and saw Anko glaring back at her.

"And you won't be?" challenged Anko with Hinata looking at her without fear of those words possibly being true.

"Why would I be afraid? I'm one of the few women in his life that actually cared about him before and after he became Shao Kahn. You still want to find a way to be free from his seal to kill him," said Hinata before walking away from the older woman without looking back.

'Bitch!' thought Anko, as she rubbed the back of her neck, and felt it pulse slightly from the touch that told the woman to be mindful of what she did or else the results would not be good.

The last time she touched it, the damn thing shocked her violently, and made Anko have a spasm on the floor.

Still, Anko felt that while the life she lived now wasn't the best, it could be far worse, and was actually getting off easy give how truly vengeful he could be to her if he wished. She was a slave/bodyguard/concubine to Shao Kahn and was his property in every sense of the word. If he said jump, she jumped without asking. If he said punch someone she just met in the fact, the random guy would be on the ground. If he said strip and walk naked in the streets to a tattoo parlor to have the word "SLUT!" written diagonally in large big letters across her back...well you could bet your hard earned cash it would happen.

But as it stood right now, none of those things happened, and Shao Kahn seemed content in using her as sexual relief when she was not protecting him from the shadows. And while Anko was glad her situation wasn't more humiliating then it already was to begin with...part of her did wish to be loved again.

Even if it was by Shao Kahn.

(Fire Country-Naval Shipyard)

The Fire Country Naval Shipyard was formed around the time Fire Country was formed and meant to build a fleet of ships in order to keep any invading army from coming by sea. The ships currently in the shipyard were being armed to the teeth, capable of holding a small army per ship, and meant for the single purpose of a full scale invasion. At the moment, most of the workers were not reporting in today due to their relocation to Wave Country being halted, and their was a complication in terms of housing them since they were all promised housing in what was meant to be newly claimed territory. New housing for themselves, their families, and their belongings were all jumbled up into one big crazy bureaucratic cluster fuck traffic jam.

Meaning the entire shipyard was understaffed. Not that it mattered or the shipyard needed to be packed with workers since most of the ships were finished anyway. If there were far too many workers here when the number of ships being built was just a few, it would do more harm than good, and causing congestion in terms of multiple workers handling the same project.

Hence why most of them were being relocated. Or rather..._planned_ to be relocated.

"Did you hear? Wave Country kept its independence," stated one worker on break with a few others.

"Yeah. Who the Hell do they think they are? They should be proud to become part of the Fire Country," said a second worker smoking a cig.

"Everyone knows Fire Country is the strongest country out of all the others. They might as well just concede to our power and be done with it. I mean, we have all those Konoha Shinobi and their chakra powered Jutsus kicking ass against all those other so called Shinobi villages. Doesn't that already say something about us being the best?" said a third guy while drinking a bottle of water.

"You said it. Plus we have some of the all time greats in Konoha fighting this war. All of them are badass and legends in their own right. You would think these other villages in the other countries would just give up," remarked a fourth worker gruffly.

"No one ever said our enemies were the smartest guys on the block. Now they have to learn the hard way," said the first worker with the others laughing.

"Man that is a big ass cloud in the sky," said the third worker while looking up when the sunlight was being blocked.

"Yeah. Its moving fast too. Almost...too fast," remarked the second worker with his hand over his eyes and squinting to see the object in the sky clearly.

"He's right. What the Hell is that?" asked the fourth worker before seeing something fall from the object and descending downward.

Toward them.

"What the...OH SHIT!" exclaimed the first worker, as he saw it wasn't a cloud they saw, but an airship from Spring Country, and the something that was falling toward them was in fact...a person.

But not just any person. It was Shao Kahn: Daimyo of Wave Country!

"Sound the alarm! Sound the alarm!" exclaimed the third worker, but he along with the rest of the group was struck by a barrage of kunai, and shuriken that killed them in mere moments.

"Even if they did try, the guards around it are already dead," remarked Hinata, as she had on ANBU attire complete with a fox mask painted with orange marks.

She had snuck in with Anko, who had been to this place on a few occasions so it wasn't all that surprising the former Leaf kunoichi knew where some of the weak points were located. Right now, Anko was summoning a few of her larger pets to attack the east side while Hinata herself was targeting the west side.

Shao Kahn had decided to descend from above into the center where the finished Capital Class Dreadnought had just been finished and was the Flag Ship of the nearly finished fleet. With his Wrath Hammer in both hands, the speed, and velocity of his descent down toward the ship caused it to break in two. The amount of debris sent flying damaged other ships around it, several sinking instantly, and others were consumed by the rising water that followed the impact.

Moments later, Shao Kahn emerged from the ruined Flag Ship to land on another, only this one filled with workers, samurai, and Konoha Shinobi. The samurai and Shinobi attacked first while some of the workers tried to help, believing their large number of allies would successfully overwhelm the demonic giant. Unfortunately, they didn't try to factor in their enemy being incredibly strong physically, inhumanly fast for a man of his size, or the fact their foe was capable of swinging that giant hammer.

They also didn't count on the Shao Kahn taking their souls right out of their bodies to become his own which scared some of the workers fighting him to flee. Even some of the Shinobi were hesitant to attack him, as they clearly saw what he did, and feared such a power would be used against Konoha in the long run.

"How does it feel to know fear? To feel to know that your soul could become mine once I rip it from body? How does it feel to be in the presence of a monster your Masters created through their own arrogance?!" questioned Shao Kahn before letting out a cruel laugh at the terrified foes that stood in his path before charging at them with the intent to kill.

Their screams echoed throughout the shipyard.

"He always had to make an entrance," remarked Anko from her position a giant snake while several of her pets lashed out at the Shinobi, samurai, and shipyard workers around her.

They were making quite the mess.

As for Hinata, she was striking down just about everyone around her, and showing why the Gentle Fist was a Taijutsu style worth fearing. Especially _her version_ of Gentle Fist since no one could land a hit on the Hyuuga woman despite the seemingly overwhelming numbers. She didn't hold anything back on them as they fell and it was showing with the number of bodies on the ground at Hinata's feet. She ruptured internal organs, made the hearts of her victims explode, destroyed lungs, and made others go brain dead.

She was a one woman slaughterhouse.

In the distance, two people were watching this battle with great interest, and taking in the sounds of battle.

"Damn Itachi! Look at these three go. Just by the sound of people dying makes me want to join in on the fun," remarked the tall blue skinned man holding a large bandaged item in his hand.

"We will be joining in the battle soon enough Kisame. We are here to asses the level the Kyuubi Jinchuriki is ranked among us and how big a threat he is to the organization," said Itachi calmly, but inside he was a jumble of emotions, and they were making him question everything he once stood for.

"Should we take out the Hyuuga first? Or go for the snake woman?" asked Kisame with Itachi looking between the two women and then their intended target.

"Keep the two at bay. I will deal with the Kyuubi Jinchuriki myself," answered Itachi with Kisame raising an eyebrow at him.

"So you are finally going to fight huh? That's a first. You always fight at the last possible moment. I'm usually the one to start stuff," stated Kisame with Itachi glancing at him.

"Water is your domain Kisame, but you tend to go overboard with it. We can't afford to drown him here. Your skills will keep his two allies at bay while I subdue him with my Sharingan. It should be enough to keep him controlled long enough to knock out and bring back to base," explained Itachi with Kisame scoffing.

"So you are going to use your Sharingan. And here I though you would actually fight. Oh well. Maybe the Jinchuriki will make you," commented Kisame while hearing a cry of pain followed by a loud squishing sound of someone's head getting crushed by a certain Wrath Hammer being wielded by a demonic giant of a man.

"Enough talk. Deal with his allies," replied Itachi before he leaped forward to engage his opponent in combat.

"Bossy jerk," remarked Kisame before heading toward Anko.

(With Shao Kahn)

"Where is your Yondaime Hokage now? Where is the Sandaime Hokage? Where are the Konoha Shinobi you have all looked up to growing up? Who you admired? Worshipped for their so called power? If they were really the heroes and Gods you love so much they would be here to defend you from my onslaught. To protect you from my wrath! Instead they hide behind their walls of their precious village!" exclaimed Shao Kahn, as he killed one samurai with a punch to the face, three Shinobi with his Wrath Hammer, and two of the shipyard workers with a front kick to their torsos in a span of five seconds.

"Let's see you face someone of a much different level...Uzumaki Naruto," replied Itachi with the Uchiha appearing behind Shao Kahn.

"Uchiha Itachi. Agent of Akatsuki...and secretly the loyal lapdog to a village filled with traitors," remarked Shao Kahn with Itachi not batting an eyelash at the words.

"You are remarkably well informed," replied Itachi in a whispered tone.

"Its amazing what you can learn from the souls of those you take," remarked Shao Kahn with Itachi's hand twitching slightly.

"I see," replied Itachi before activating his Sharingan.

"Do you? I know things not even you know about Konoha. Like how they played on your pacifism and love for the village like the sympathetic fool you are. They used you to kill your clan and they are using your brother to kill you to cover it up. They are spoiling him silly. Giving him everything he could ever want. Do you care about how many people he's killed? Men? Women? Children? He's even burned down hospitals filled with babies all crying out for their parents to save them," replied Shao Kahn, as he had seen quite a few memories of what Sasuke did while on missions with Konoha Shinobi, and the ones the Root ANBU went on.

"You lie. I would know," whispered Itachi with his Sharingan Eyes spinning.

"The souls of Root ANBU say otherwise. I'd tell you to confront him on the matter, but you won't live past today," replied Shao Kahn with Itachi bringing out his sword.

"You cannot win. Your chakra can be repressed with my Sharingan Eyes," remarked Itachi, as he used his power of his bloodline with the mental command to suppress Shao Kahn's power.

All Shao Kahn did was laugh at him.

"Fool! Your pathetic little Sharingan has no power over me. It might have influenced the Kyuubi itself, but the two of us have merged into a whole new entity thanks to the powers of dark magic, and sorcery at a level you couldn't begin to understand," said Shao Kahn with Itachi frowning and decided on another approach with his eyes.

"Let us test that theory. 'Tsukuyomi!'" said Itachi with his eyes before trapping himself and Shao Kahn in the Genjutsu world.

(Tsukuyomi World)

"So this is the world so many fear when dealing with an Uchiha with such an advanced Sharingan," commented Shao Kahn before he saw Itachi stand in front of him.

"In here, I am the ruler of all things. For the next 72 hours...you belong to me," replied Itachi before snapping his fingers and chains appeared and wrapped around Shao Kahn and the former Emperor of Outworld instantly knew what these chains were.

They were Uzumaki chakra chains.

"Oh I see. You think the Uzumaki chakra chains created in this world using your mind will hold me. But you merely adopted the idea of the chakra chains. I was born with them. They are apart of me by birth. I never really called them because I didn't see a need to until now, but for you Uchiha Itachi...I will make an EXCEPTION!" exclaimed Shao Kahn before breaking them and charged at a shocked Itachi who went flying back.

"That's impossible! You are in my world. My realm. I control everything here," replied Itachi while Shao Kahn laughed.

"Your realm? Don't you know Itachi. Before I came back to the Elemental Countries, I am Shao Kahn: Conqueror of Realms! This place is no different. Besides, you may have trapped me in this realm, but can you control all the souls in it that are mine?" asked Shao Kahn before pointing to his left the vast army of souls he had taken over the years before and after coming back to his birth realm.

"What? How are they here? I am the Master of this place. I command you all to leave!" asked Itachi in shock.

"Because they belong to me. These souls are mine! These chakra chains are mine! These souls do not bow to an Uchiha. They bow to their EMPEROR!" declared Shao Kahn with the souls nodding as one.

'This shouldn't be possible,' thought Itachi while looking around at the army of souls that were surrounding him.

"For the next 72 hours, these souls are going to tear _you_ apart...Uchiha Itachi," remarked Shao Kahn before letting out a cruel before the army of souls descended upon the Uchiha.

(Real World)

Itachi stumbled back, gasping for breath, and taking a knee while looking at Shao Kahn in shock at what he saw in that Genjutsu world. He looked at the demonic giant in horror, the ramifications of what Itachi saw in that place made the man feel fear for the first time since Kyuubi attacked all those years ago, and knew this..._man_ in front of him was quite possibly a thousand times worse.

"You...You are a monster!" accused Itachi with Shao Kahn nodding and laughing.

"You sound surprised. Is it really so surprising Itachi? Konoha constantly called me one during my childhood. I was baptized in the darkness, molded to fight in wars, and to do what Konoha always wanted me to do. And that something is...to kill people," said Shao Kahn while walking toward Itachi.

Only to be blocked by Kisame.

"Hey Itachi! You overtax yourself again with those eyes? Shouldn't he be unconscious right now?" questioned Kisame with Itachi slowly standing.

"No. He turned my power against me. I saw...I saw terrible things. We must go and report back my findings," replied Itachi with Kisame narrowing his eyes at Shao Kahn.

"Running away already? What happened to Anko? Don't tell me the woman is too weak to last only a few seconds fighting you?" questioned Shao Kahn with a frown before the woman appeared beside him.

"Give me some credit! He never got a chance to get near me. My snakes got hacked to tiny pieces, but by the time fishy got near, he noticed Itachi on the ground, and decided to redirect himself here," explained Anko while feeling a little hurt inside.

"So its true. You serve him now," remarked Itachi while Anko scowled at him.

"Not by choice. Not that it matters anymore. I might as well be labeled a Missing Nin like you regardless of my situation," replied Anko with Shao Kahn smirking.

"Enough talking! The blue skinned one is mine. You can have the Uchiha as your prey Anko. Kill him!" commanded Shao Kahn before he charged forward and tackled Kisame into a ship that had yet to be fully damaged.

"We are both agents of Konoha. You know this. Tell me what he has planned and I can deliver it to the Akatsuki and Jiraiya-sama," said Itachi with Anko shaking her head.

"Doesn't work that way. I can't betray him. His seal won't let me. All I can do is fight his enemies until I win, lose, or die. Sorry Itachi, but orders are orders," replied Anko before she charged the Uchiha, and the man went on the defensive in hand to hand combat while his Sharingan was keeping the woman at bay for the moment.

"I see. Then I too have no choice, but to kill you for your involuntary betrayal of Konoha, and serving the Kyuubi Jinchuriki," replied Itachi, as he began to shift his movements to a more offensive approach.

In the distance behind the Uchiha, the sounds of fighting could be heard, cries of battle, and pain echoing with the destruction of the ships around them. Shao Kahn had forsaken the use of his Wrath Hammer after throwing it at Kisame, who knocked it away, but felt Samehada cry out in pain, and was punched in the face hard into a ship's interior. Spitting out some blood, Kisame swung his sword at Shao Kahn, who expertly dodged the huge weapon, and moved in closer for close combat. Cursing his enemy, Kisame could only endure the blows Shao Kahn launched at him, and waited for the kick to the torso to send him flying back before going through hand signs.

"Suiton: Amesuikōha!" said Kisame, as he put his hands into the water below and large amounts of water shot into the air before they descended down upon Shao Kahn in the form of large sharks.

Recalling his Wrath Hammer to his hands, Shao Kahn knocked the water sharks away from himself before making a Light Spear, and threw on at Kisame. Naturally, the man dodged it, and reached for his sword in order to get close. Shao Kahn grinned and once more charged the swordsman with Wrath Hammer in hand. Kisame swung hard with his incredible strength and Shao Kahn blocked him using his own weapon. The demonic giant felt Samehada was trying to feed on his power like it had done years ago with the Kyuubi's chakra when he first encountered the two Akatsuki members as a young naive Genin of Konoha. While it would get little to nothing from its feeding, Shao Kahn was not going to tolerate the sword eating _anything_ that belonged to his person, and took the draining as a personal insult. This sword was a leech, feeding off other people to survive like some filthy parasite, and contributing nothing other then being a weapon used for cutting people up.

Shao Kahn would have to rectify this situation with a means of removing Samehada from the equation and the former Emperor of Outworld knew just what to do when given the right opportunity.

Such an opportunity came when Kisame swung his sword horizontally at Shao Kahn to cut him in half at the waist and the demonic warrior acted quickly. Dropping his Wrath Hammer, Shao Kahn moved his right arm at just the right moment, and actually _caught_ Samehada under it, and held the weapon in place while ignoring the pain from it making contact with his side. Kisame was too shocked to react in time and it cost him when Shao Kahn pulled him forward enough to land a solid kick to the swordsman's torso. The blue skinned man was sent flying back, losing his grasp on Samehada, and landing against the water before correcting himself. Looking up, Kisame saw Shao Kahn was holding the sentient sword in his right hand, ignoring the spikes that went through it, and grabbed the scaled blade with the other.

'Time to see if this thing's mouth can do more than eat chakra!' thought Shao Kahn before he began bending it with the intent to break the weapon and was enjoying the new sound of Samehada crying out in pain.

"What are you doing? Stop it! You're killing her!" protested Kisame in horror at seeing this while Shao Kahn began meeting some resistance with the sword fighting back, but the man's overall physical strength was slowly winning, and the screams increased.

"That's the idea. This sword is sentient, which means it has a soul, and like all who have faced me before in the past...this one's soul in mine now!" declared Shao Kahn before raising the sword over his head and brought it down on his knee.

Snapping it in two.

"NO!" yelled Kisame, as he saw Samehada's energy, or rather its soul leave the weapon itself before entering Shao Kahn.

The blade itself, once made up of shark like scales that shaved rather than cut, dissolved to reveal a simple ordinary sword, and was casually discarded by the one who broke it. Shao Kahn laughed at the look on Kisame's shocked face and walked casually toward the man who couldn't believe his sword was just broken in such a way.

"Let's see you fight me now without that little crutch for a sword," mocked Shao Kahn before he called upon his heritage of his Uzumaki bloodline and summoned chains that wrapped around the fish like man before pulling him forward.

"What kind of monster are you?" asked Kisame before he was punched and backhanded in the face before being slammed into the ground.

"The one you, Itachi, and the rest of the Akatsuki decided to provoke. Your Master will fear me now," replied Shao Kahn before lifting Kisame up by the throat and pulling him close.

'I have to break free somehow,' thought Kisame, as he struggled against the chakra chains that bound him, and saw the grinning helmeted face of Shao Kahn looking down at him.

"Your soul is mine!" declared Shao Kahn before he violently pulled Kisame's soul from the man's body and absorbed it into his own.

In an instant, Shao Kahn was bombarded by Kisame's memories, from training to be a Mist Shinobi, the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist program, and the meeting with the man claiming to be Madara after seeing Yagura was in fact a puppet Mizukage. The memories soon shifted to Kisame's time spent in the Akatsuki organizational, their current plans for the Jinchuriki, and how they were currently planning to make their move soon. With the memories subsiding, Shao Kahn got a wicked idea, and decided to test out his brand new affinity for water in combination with his power.

(With Itachi and Anko)

"You're skills are quite impressive Anko. You are indeed worthy of being called one of Orochimaru's student," remarked Itachi, as he had been fighting the woman for some time now, and the former Leaf kunoichi had held her own against him.

She was certainly doing much better than Orochimaru had done before the Sannin left the organization after that incident which caused the man to lose his hand to the Uchiha.

"You won't be saying that to me once my pets filled your body filled with snake venom," replied Anko, as she launched snakes from her arm, and they converged on the Uchiha.

"Not today," countered Itachi, who used his Sharingan to influence the snakes to turn around, and attack their wielder.

Or would have if Hinata had not sliced through them with her Gentle Fist attack.

"My turn," said Hinata with Itachi frowning since he couldn't use his eyes on her since the ANBU mask she wore was preventing it and Itachi knew the Hyuuga girl's bloodline prevented any Genjutsu from working.

"Another time," replied Itachi before he turned into a flock of crows and was gone.

"So the Uchiha got away," commented Shao Kahn after appearing in front of them.

"Sadly yes. Even in his weakened state the guy put up a fight. He's clearly Kage level even after all this time. Given his condition, I'm a bit surprised," replied Anko with Shao Kahn frowning.

"What condition? Does it have to do with his eyes?" asked Shao Kahn since he knew from Kisame's memories that Itachi's eyes were inching closer to blindness to the point where his time in the Akatsuki was coming to a close.

"No. He has an illness. A deadly one. I don't know all the details. Only Tsunade, Shizune, myself, Jiraiya, the Yondaime, and the Sandaime know about it. He's been sneaking into the village every few months to get treatment, but its borrowed time at best. I also think Orochimaru has known for a few year so the idea of possessing Itachi's body would be out of the question for him," explained Anko with Shao Kahn nodding.

"And when his time is no more, Sasuke gets what he wants. Using his fame of avenging his clan to be the next Hokage of Konoha. How...nauseating," said Shao Kahn since he could picture the arrogant Uchiha being praised by the people for "avenging" his clan.

They were so in the dark about just how vile the Uchiha really was to others. Or maybe they did know and just didn't care because he wasn't being mean to them.

"I'm just reporting to you what I know. It has always been the way of Konoha and there policy on things and people they deem important to the village," commented Anko with Hinata nodding in agreement.

"That policy will be their undoing," remarked Shao Kahn before he motioned them to follow him until they made it to the very top of one of the shipyard's walls.

"What now?" asked Hinata with Shao Kahn going through one handed hand signs.

"Now we sink this shipyard in the water depths below," remarked Shao Kahn, as he saw this place could be repaired, and the workers replaced.

Not on his watch.

"You can use Jutsus?" asked Anko in surprise.

"It's a possibility. I have taken quite a few souls and wished to experiment on using their Jutsus and affinities they have. What better way, than by using my most recently captured soul...Hoshigaki Kisame," answered Shao Kahn with a grin before ending his hand sign.

"You can do that?" asked Hinata with Shao Kahn nodding.

"We're about to find out. 'Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu!'" exclaimed Shao Kahn, as he used the memories of Kisame performing the Jutsu, the fish man's affinity for water, combined with the former Emperor's own reserves of power making the Jutsu that more potent, and the three watched the massive amounts of water rising around them before it fell like a waterfall.

Screams of people below could be heard among the sounds of the utter destruction from all the ships being torn apart violently from the Water Jutsu.

"Damn! Not bad for a first try using so much power. I'm guessing that you haven't really used any Jutsus since you first became..._this_," said Anko with Shao Kahn looking at her with his crimson eyes.

"I didn't see the need to try any Jutsus given my limited options when I first became Shao Kahn. I was made this way through Dark Magic and powerful sorcery. I had believed that my means of using them were lost. But now...now that I have seen it is indeed possible...I now have a whole new way to fight my enemies. A way that they will never see coming," replied Shao Kahn while letting out a cruel chuckle and Anko was feeling uneasy about this.

"How many Jutsus do you know or can use now?" asked Hinata with Shao Kahn grinning at her.

"If I include Kisame's soul to the others I've taken so far? Quite a few hundred. Not quite up to Hatake's level, but it won't matter once his soul is ripped out," answered Shao Kahn with Anko's eyes widening in realization.

Kakashi had copied well over one thousand Jutsus when first teaching Genin team 7, and that had only increased since that point. The Jounin had copied a little over _two thousand_ Jutsus in the years following Naruto's escape and becoming Shao Kahn. If Shao Kahn got a hold of Kakashi's soul, it would result in the newly made Wave Daimyo learn those two thousand Jutsus, and how to use them with the incredible power in his body.

"When will you go after Konoha directly?" asked Hinata, as she wanted to unleash her own frustrations out on the village, and wanted to see them get taken down a few...couple dozen pegs.

"Not yet. Soon though. We've crushed their means to create a navy. Their current fleet at sea will join the long line of ships being built here along with those onboard. Konoha has been pushing its enemies to the brink of destruction with their war mongering and their interpretation of prophecies. Now its time to begin the true counter offensive and show them the price of their arrogance," replied Shao Kahn while watching the water in the shipyard from the top of the wall to see it was filled with broken pieces of wood, metal, and most importantly..._bodies_!

"With Water Country no longer caught in the embargo, they can trade again, and bring back their economy," said Hinata with Shao Kahn nodding.

"And increasing the funding needed for Mist to get strong enough to launch an attack of their own," added Shao Kahn since he would need that village to flank Konoha while the Wave Daimyo had his enemies focused on him.

By the time Konoha is even aware of its other enemies...it would be too late.

"Now all we need to do is somehow focus on fighting both the Akatsuki and Konoha," said Hinata with Shao Kahn nodding.

"We'll focus on the Akatsuki for now. We've done significant damage to Fire Country and Konoha as a whole with this attack. They will have to refocus their efforts in the war around the other things outside of myself. Besides, with the Akatsuki gone, the Shinobi villages won't have to worry about their Jinchuriki being abducted by them, and focus all of their attention on Konoha," explained Shao Kahn since he had Kisame's memories and knew it was important to focus on them now over Konoha.

For the moment at least.

With their task done, the trio left the destroyed navy shipyard, and headed back to Wave Country to relax for a bit.

(Konoha-Sometime Later)

"You can't be serious? This isn't possible Jiraiya!" stated Minato with Jiraiya shaking his head while standing in the middle of the room in front of everyone in the meeting about what the Sannin found out involving Naruto's past.

"I'm not making this up Minato. The Great Toad Sage himself told me and showed how Naruto became what he is now. Not to mention everything he's done in one timeline and then again in an altered one the Thunder God Raiden was able to perform that caused him to lose to the Elder Gods," explained Jiraiya with some on the Councils looking skeptical.

"It still seems pretty far fetched Jiraiya," stated Koharu with Jiraiya sighing.

"You still don't believe me? Fine! Inoichi, use your family's Memory Projection Jutsu on me," commanded Jiraiya with Inoichi looking at Minato, who nodded for him to do it, and went through the hand signs.

"Yamanaka Style: Memory Projection Jutsu!" exclaimed Inoichi before using it on the Sannin before a three dimensional sphere formed several feet from Jiraiya and the events he saw now being shown to all of them.

They saw Naruto's transformation at the hands of the Dragon King and becoming Shao Kahn.

They saw his actions of conquest, one after another, and all leading up to the death of the Dragon King in order to become the new Emperor of Outworld.

The fall of Edenia, the plans to take Earthrealm, and the failures that mounted after losing the tenth tournament.

The failed tournament in Outworld that soon followed it and then the failed invasion of Earthrealm with a weakened Shao Kahn preparing himself for the worst.

The Deadly Alliance leading to the return of the Dragon King and finally...Armageddon.

Only for Raiden to change things by sending vision of what would happen to the past and altering the timeline.

And thus leading to Shao Kahn's defeat at the hands of the Elder Gods in Earthrealm by ironically enough having him win in his invasion of the realm.

Before Shao Kahn was brought to this realm...and ultimately became _their _problem once more.

"This is outrageous! These so called 'Elder Gods' had no business in sending him back here!" exclaimed a Civilian Council member angrily.

"They decreed him the Child of Prophecy. Even the Toads themselves know this and were not happy about what we did. They have no faith in us in terms of surviving the altered prophecy," replied Jiraiya with everyone not liking what they heard.

"Minato is the Child of Prophecy and if not him than Naruko is the one. You didn't teach the demon brat anything so it can't be him," stated Homura with Jiraiya shaking his head.

"I said the same thing to the Toads and they told me that teaching someone a little or a lot doesn't matter. The point is, I did teach Naruto _something_, and it put him in the running to become the Child of Prophecy," replied Jiraiya with Minato looking pissed and it was clear everyone else was too.

"So how do we proceed?" asked Danzo with Jiraiya sighing.

"Troublesome. Even I don't really know what we can do about this. With the loss of the Fire Daimyo's shipyard, we have lost our secondary fleet being prepared to invade Water Country, or at the very least invade Wave by sea since land is out of the question. But with the loss suffered there, plus the recent report earlier today of losing the embargo fleet around Water Country, we have to go on the defensive, and prevent ourselves from being overrun by our enemies," replied Nara Shikaku since this attack was not foreseen or even remotely prepared for within his mind.

"Defensive? Bah! Only the weak go on the defensive," replied Sasuke, as a Clan Head of the Uchiha Clan, which he was remotely trying to repopulate with Sakura, and was still as arrogant as ever.

"While you are entitled to your opinion Uchiha-san, this is the only strategy open to us at the moment. We have no way to go on the offensive ad lost several crucial points where we can openly do that. One navy out at sea is gone, the one being built at the shipyard has been wiped out, Wave Country is lost to us, a key offensive line was overrun by Iwa, and we have several key Shinobi serving the ranks of our enemies. All at the hands of the very person we tried to destroy years ago, but survived everything we dished out, and is back to return the favor. A defensive position is the _only _option here for us until things change in our favor," stated Shikaku with the others reluctantly agreeing.

"Okay. Here's a question for you Shikaku-san. How _exactly_ do we turn this in our favor?" asked Sasuke arrogantly.

"I don't know yet. Our strategies have always worked because defeat was never a factor in our plans because victory was guaranteed with whoever was sent to the frontlines. We never considered Naruto would ever return as this Shao Kahn person and cause so much damage," replied Shikaku before muttering troublesome since it was true.

"Well now you will consider them Shikaku. My former _son_ has been a thorn in our sides long enough. Its time to put an end to this," declared Minato firmly with everyone now looking at him.

"How?" asked Tsunade with Minato looking at her.

"Simple. Kakashi, Jiraiya, and myself will attack him ourselves in the heart of Wave Country," replied Minato with everyone looking at him shock.

"What? Just the three of you? Is that wise?" asked Kushina with Minato nodding.

"My son maybe strong, but I'm confident my skills, combined with Jiraiya, and Kakashi should be more then enough to take him down. No one has ever fought the three of us in combat and won when facing our teamwork. We can crush him if we take him on that way," replied Minato confidently with a hint of arrogance in his voice.

"Is Kakashi even cleared for fighting?" asked Homura while keeping the fact the man got a Sharingan Eye replacement away from Sasuke.

"Yes. I cleared him yesterday," answered Tsunade while seeing Minato grinning.

"Good. With our current losses, no one will expect an immediate retaliation this quickly, and that means my _son_ will not see us coming when we strike him at his new home in Wave Country," said Minato with the others understanding.

Attack in a way that no one suspects and deal a crippling or lethal blow that turned things around in Konoha's favor.

(Akatsuki HQ)

"Let me see if I understand you perfectly Itachi. You just said in your report that Kisame. _THE_ Hoshigaki Kisame...is dead?" questioned Pein with Itachi nodding while his face was still showing signs of fatigue.

"Yes Pein-sama. Not only that, but the way Kisame died is what bothers me the most," answered Itachi with Pein frowning.

"But you weren't there when he did," stated Pein with Itachi.

"Yes, but when Shao Kahn appeared after fighting Kisame, I concluded who was the victor of their fight, and what happened soon after when the shipyard was flooded by a Water Jutsu," answered Itachi with Pein narrowing his eyes.

"Your assumptions of Kisame's death might have been too soon. You had no proof of his death other then the Kyuubi Jinchuriki had returned. Perhaps Kisame escaped?" offered Konan with Itachi shaking his head.

"No. The Kyuubi Jinchuriki _never_ learned any Water Jutsus before his escape. From what I learned of our target's abilities, Kisame was killed by having his soul ripped out, and the skills from my partner went with him. After I fled, I saw the Water Jutsu used was one of Kisame's favorite since it helped flood an entire area in water. The entire shipyard was flooded all the way to the top before it went down, leaving only death, and destruction in its wake," replied Itachi with Konan and Pein looking at each other.

"You are certain?" asked Pein with Itachi nodding.

"I saw it with my Tsukuyomi when I used it on him. A nearly endless army of souls that attacked me in that world. I barely managed to survive it and fight off Mitarashi Anko afterwards while Kisame fought him," reported Itachi with Pein frowning.

"Leave us. We need time to think," commanded Pein with Itachi nodding before he left the two.

"This is upsetting. Who knows how strong the Kyuubi Jinchuriki can become if he has the power to take souls and the powers of others in the process," stated Konan with Pein nodding in thought.

"Kisame's death has become a major setback. Not only that, but Samehada is lost to us due to it being consumed by the water after the shipyard was flooded. Recovering it will be next to impossible. We must move against the other Jinchuriki now before moving against the Kyuubi. Once we secure all the others, we can focus all our resources on the last one, and achieve our dream," said Pein with Konan nodding.

"I will inform the others of their assigned targets at once," said Konan before she left him to carry out her mission.

"What do you make of this new predicament regarding the assessment of the Kyuubi Jinchuriki's powers Madara?" asked Pein while not even looking at the orange spiraling masked figure appearing from the shadows.

"We must tread cautiously. With each new soul he takes, our target will get stronger, and his war with Konoha will only provide him with more strength. While his main target is fighting Konoha, we will move against the other Shinobi villages, and take each of their Jinchuriki from them. This will keep one side from getting the upper hand in their petty war. We have already acquired the three and six tails respectively so we just need to go after the others," replied Madara with Pein nodding.

"Agreed. We also need to have a suitable replacement for Kisame. Now would be a good time to have you become more active in the ranks and partner you with Itachi for the time being," said Pein with Madara nodding.

"Agreed. Besides, someone has to keep an eye on Itachi given his eye sight failing him. It was because of me that the Uchiha Massacre was so successful in the first place," replied Madara since he had helped Itachi with that mission and used the Uchiha like he did just about everyone else.

Only now were things were finally getting interesting for him.

(A/N: YAY! Awesome chapter or what? Hope it was to your liking. It took me awhile to create, but it was worth it. Now I'm going to relax for a bit since I've made some progress on my school work thanks to my classes being cancelled this current week we just had with the snow and the ice followed by power being out. Crazy huh? I had three days of no power in my house. Three days! I had to occupy my time or else I would go nuts! So I got a good chunk of my school work done and then I was able to do this when the power came back on. Until next time...PEACE!)


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8-Sins of the Father

Shao Kahn sat on his throne, an orb similar to what each Kages of the five major villages had was in front of him, and he watched three of his most hatred heading his way. The orb being supported by a stand looked to be made from a dragon's hand, which he had a craftsman make for him, was actually the one held by the Uzumaki Clan in Whirlpool Country. Shao Kahn had gone there to see his homeland on his bitch for a Mother's side of the family and could hear the souls, feel the souls of the dead crying out to him. The place was not one filled with life, but one of death, as it had fallen during the Second Shinobi War, and Konoha had been the ones to let it happen. They got a message from the Uzukage asking for the help of the Leaf's forces to flank the enemy and save them from annihilation.

Naturally, Konoha got the message, Shao Kahn saw enough memories from the souls of Root ANBU he killed to know Danzo was there when the message reached the Sandaime Hokage. Only for the two along with Koharu and Homura to decide it was in Konoha's interest to _ignore_ it. Why save the Uzumaki Clan when they were more trouble than they were worth? They already had Uzumaki Mito and a young Uzumaki Kushina to take the woman's place in being the Kyuubi Jinchuriki. As far they were concerned, the Uzumaki Clan was now expendable, and any that did survive its destruction could be picked up later for possible recondition.

When Shao Kahn told them who he was, the souls of the Uzumaki around him rejoiced at hearing their avenger had come. To that end, the former Emperor of Outworld called on his dead kin to give him their souls, to empower his body, and bring the strength of the entire Uzumaki Clan down on the heads of his enemies.

They didn't hesitate to join him.

With their knowledge of the Sealing Arts, Jutsus, and other various secrets of their clan kept secret even from Konoha...Shao Kahn let out a laugh that echoed throughout the land. Taking what had not been discovered since the fall of the Uzumaki Clan, the new Wave Daimyo returned home victorious, and planned to use this newly acquired power to his advantage.

"So they've come to kill me. Just the three of them. Such arrogance!" declared Shao Kahn with narrowed eyes while they glowed with rage.

"Do you want us to intercept them Daimyo-sama?" asked one of the Suna Shinobi in the castle.

"No. These three particular Leaf Shinobi are all in their prime. Experienced a hundred times your years the world over. Alone, they could easily decimate each represented Shinobi village of our alliance here with ease and together...they could do worse to this country's people. Your duty is to protect them while I deal with my enemies who are here only here for me," commanded Shao Kahn, as he rose from his throne, and walked out of the room with the various Shinobi from each village in the alliance looking nervous.

Sure, the new Wave Daimyo had done a great deal for them, and the Alliance during the war when it seemed Konoha would win. But this was different! This was Jiraiya of the Sannin, the Yellow Flash, and Son of the White Fang this man was about to take on. It was hard to say what kind of mindset Shao Kahn was in when they heard the order that he would take those three legends on alone.

Could he really pull it off?

(At the Great Naruto Bridge)

"These demon loving ingrates. It was bad enough I was here defending the bridge builder at the time, but now I'm back here, and they _still_ have _his_ name on it," muttered Kakashi, as he frowned at the name of the bridge, and frowned behind his masked face.

"That won't matter after today Kakashi. Once my son is killed, we kill the majority of the people here, and enslave the rest as servant to the nobles that will setup homes here. The Fire Daimyo will have his new port while repairing the old one and we can launch a new fleet from here to help reestablish our dominance once again over the seas before striking Water Country," explained Minato since he intended to crush his son and take the country in the name of the Fire Daimyo.

"Is it me or is there an unnatural mist setting in?" questioned Jiraiya with Kakashi's one natural eye narrowing.

"This is the Hidden Mist Jutsu. He's here," whispered Kakashi with the trio now getting ready for a fight.

"Coming here on such a foolish errand. Though I expect nothing less from the three of you," whispered a voice that all three Shinobi recognized instantly.

"Shao Kahn," whispered Jiraiya with Shao Kahn's laughter echoing throughout the mist.

"Its been quite awhile hasn't it, Ero-Sennin? Still peeping on women and writing your smut filled books? When was the last time you were with a woman? And without the requirement of money exchanging hands?" questioned Shao Kahn through the mist.

"Why don't you come out and face us? Too much of a coward to fight all three of us at once?" taunted Minato while trying to provoke his son's pride.

"As if you are one to talk my so called Father. Besides, I thought it was the Shinobi way to strike from the shadows?" challenged Shao Kahn with Minato gritting his teeth.

"You're not a Shinobi. Not anymore," replied Kakashi in the hopes the insult would make their enemy angry.

"You're right Hatake. I'm not a Shinobi anymore. I'm...a _Conqueror_!" stated Shao Kahn proudly from behind Kakashi before swinging his Wrath Hammer horizontally at the man's head and struck true.

"Kakashi!" exclaimed Minato at seeing his last remaining student go flying harshly into the side of the bridge.

"His line of vision always was narrow. Just like his mind...and like his teacher," remarked Shao Kahn with a grin while seeing Kakashi slump to the ground unconscious.

"Damn you!" exclaimed Minato, as he moved fast to strike Shao Kahn with his sword, but the Wave Daimyo batted him away with the back of his hand.

"Let's see you take me on. You never did see me fight or at my full strength. There was a reason Itachi has always feared me," commented Jiraiya with Shao Kahn eyeing him with malice.

"Itachi fears me more. Considering what I did to Kisame and his sword...he has every right to be afraid," remarked Shao Kahn before throwing a Light Spear at Jiraiya, who dodged, and summoned both Ma and Pa to go into Sennin Modo.

"So its true. You absorbed the soul of Kisame and made his weapon lost to the world," said Jiraiya with Shao Kahn nodding.

"Yes. I took his soul and I broke Samehada with my bare hands. It screamed rather loudly before its death...just like its Master," added Shao Kahn with Jiraiya looking surprised at the last part.

'He broke Samehada? With his bare hands? That's...impossible!' thought Jiraiya before leaping away to dodge another Light Spear and barely dodged a punch to his face when Shao Kahn moved in front of him.

Jiraiya found himself instantly on the defensive, as Shao Kahn proved to be faster than he originally anticipated, and found his strength in Sennin Modo to be outdone when he had blocked some of the strikes. It hurt when he did and it was even worse when Shao Kahn made contact with a vital part of his body. His punches were harder then Tsunade's ever had been when he upset the woman and the Sannin was sure quite a few of his ribs were broken right now.

As for Shao Kahn, a solid uppercut from him sent Jiraiya flying back before the Sannin was able to land on his feet, skidding back while trying to gain his footing, and spitting out blood when he finally stopped. Behind Shao Kahn, the former Yondaime Hokage appeared, his sword raised, and it seemed Minato would finally put down his son like he planned to from the start.

Only for chakra chains to erupt from the giant's back and wrap around Minato before slamming him into the ground.

"Chakra chains? But...how?! Only Kushina and Naruko have that power!" demanded Jiraiya with Shao Kahn letting out a chuckle.

"I maybe a demonic monster, but I am of Uzumaki descent. Not to mention I went to the ancestral homeland of my kin in Whirlpool and absorbed the souls of the Uzumaki Clan that Konoha betrayed," replied Shao Kahn, who without even batting an eye away from Jiraiya, moved his chakra chains around like a whip, or tentacle even before slamming Minato down onto the ground.

Repeatedly,

"You desecrated the Uzumaki Clan by taking their souls!" accused Pa and Ma on Jiraiya's shoulders while Shao Kahn scoffed.

"Took their souls? HA! My fellow Uzumaki Clan members gave me their souls _willingly_! Like them, I was betrayed by Konoha, and I promised them their revenge against the Leaf for their treachery!" exclaimed Shao Kahn before throwing Minato violently to the side next to land next to Kakashi.

"You had no right to do that to them. Hopefully, once you are killed here, the souls of the Uzumaki Clan will be freed from your control," said Jiraiya with Shao Kahn frowning at him.

"Like you care what happens to my kin. You don't even care about my so called sister or Mother if they weren't so useful and loyal to Konoha. Admit it Ero-Sennin. You would sooner sell them out than help them if they were to call for help and they held no form of value to the village," challenged Shao Kahn with Jiraiya frowning.

"Sacrifices have to be made when the time comes," commented Jiraiya, who leaped away when the chakra chains flew toward him.

"Says the one not being sacrificed," countered Shao Kahn, who watched Jiraiya dodge all of his chain except one, and was thrown down violently onto the bridge.

"Rakiri!" exclaimed Kakashi suddenly, as he saw Shao Kahn was focused on Jiraiya, and giving him time to prepare the Jutsu to strike the man's defenseless back.

Or what he thought was the defenseless back of his enemy.

One of the chains snaked around the extended arm, draining Kakashi of his chakra for the Lightning Jutsu, and squeezing the limb painfully in the process. The Jounin cried out in pain, as the chain squeezed tighter, and tighter until finally...!

_**SNAP!**_

_**SQUELCH!**_

Kakashi's arm was removed at the shoulder from the rest of his body.

"Kakashi!" exclaimed Jiraiya while trying to attack Shao Kahn, dodging the chains, and getting close enough to hit the enemy with a palm thrust to the chest.

Shao Kahn however, dodged the attack with ease, and moved away from Jiraiya since he saw the seal on the man's outstretched hand. Being an Uzumaki, as well as having a small army of Uzumaki souls within his body gave Shao Kahn a major understanding about the different kinds of seals out there, and what they could do to someone when touched. The seal on Jiraiya was designed to paralyze him by causing a disruption between the energy within his body's various internal systems. Mostly in his nerves and muscles to cause zero to little movement, which would give the Sannin, and the other two Leaf Shinobi to plot what to do next with their prize. Return with Shao Kahn alive? Or kill him to save them the trouble of dealing with a future break out and trouble later on?

Shao Kahn wasn't going to let either possibility happen.

"Nice try old man, but I have far more years fighting that you could ever hope to have, and I will not be defeated so easily," remarked Shao Kahn while Jiraiya narrowed his eyes at him.

'Damn it! I just need to get close enough to put this seal on him,' thought Jiraiya, as he had planned to use his seal empowered with nature chakra to disable Shao Kahn, and render the man helpless.

"I see the Toads are still loyal to you. Even after all this time and your actions done over the years. Though what would one expect from those that live in filth and excrete slime?" remarked Shao Kahn with Jiraiya scowling at him.

"You'll pay for that insult brat!" exclaimed Jiraiya before rushing forward again, trying to hurt Shao Kahn while also making an attempt to nab him with the seal.

Something that was proving difficult on both counts.

Deciding enough was enough, Shao Kahn grabbed the hand with the seal on the palm, and used the ability he got from Samehada to drain Jiraiya of his chakra. The Sannin soon felt the drain before his eyes went wide and tried to hit Shao Kahn with enough force to let him go. Unfortunately for him, Shao Kahn was draining Jiraiya of his nature chakra, and usual chakra too fast for him to break free. All the Sannin could do now was fall to his knee while looking up at those victorious crimson eyes and feel his strength getting sapped away. The Ma and Pa had no choice, but to leave Jiraiya out of fear of their own power being completely drained, and went "poof" back to Mt. Myōboku. When that happened, Jiraiya lost his ability to form a connection with nature chakra, and went out of his Sennin Modo form.

"How does it feel to be helpless Jiraiya? Can you feel it? Closing in all around you? The whispers of death itself licking its chops in anticipation of your life coming to and end? I know I did all those years ago as a child. One day after another I was beaten. Stabbed. Poisoned. Left to die in an alley, blood pooling all around me, my next breath possibly being my last, and the people responsible for it finally getting their long awaited wish to see me dead. You cannot imagine how I longed for death to take me in my younger years before I became a Shinobi. It wasn't until I was made aware of your betrayal to me and the betrayal made by my own family did I realize my purpose in life. Do you know what that was or rather still is, Jiraiya?" asked Shao Kahn while Jiraiya was barely conscious in front of him.

"Enlighten me," replied Jiraiya while seeing Minato struggling to rise out of the corner of his eyes.

"The purpose of my life, is to _end_ the lives of those in Konoha, and all they hold dear! To take from them what they _cherish_! What they _love_! What they have taken for granted and more importantly...what I yearned for and could not have in Konoha because of fools like you!" exclaimed Shao Kahn right in Jiraiya's face before punching the man repeatedly in the face before kneeing him in the stomach and finally landing a massive head butt that broke the Sannin's own horned helmet head covering in the process.

The man was out cold.

"Rasengan!" exclaimed Minato, as he charged forward, and hit his son in the back with the deadly orb.

Only for an energy shield to appear and block the attack to the man's shock.

"A bold yet ineffectual attack from a desperate man I have the unfortunate pleasure of calling my Father," remarked Shao Kahn before backhanding Minato away.

"You're no son of mine! Not that I wanted a son. You would have held me back from achieving my new level of power when I was a Jinchuriki. You would have always been pestering me for something while I was training or researching what I could do with my powers. Its why I was glad we had a girl for Kushina to look after when we left Konoha. It made my life a lot easier and your Mother was happy. Everyone was happy until _you_ decided to try and be something great! You tried to rise above your condition. To rive above the life we set for you. We dictated what was meant to happen and you tried to break through the barrier we made sure were in place. Your purpose was to be controlled, restrained, and die when we saw fit to end it when the barriers were being broken. Don't you see? Your life belongs to us! It will always belong to us! We own you! Konoha owns you! Kushina owns you! _I_ own you! You are not a man! You are property! Nothing more!" exclaimed Minato furiously at his son while letting his words sink into Shao Kahn in the hopes it would hurt him on some emotional or mental level.

"You think I didn't figure that out when I was about to die? I knew you and everyone else thought of me like that long before I was taken out of my cell to be executed. It wasn't hard to figure out considering the way everyone was boasting about what they did to me when I was growing up, how you explained your plans regarding my life while I was in that cell, and what was to happen following my death. Any _idiot_ could see you and the rest of Konoha saw me as an expendable asset to throw away as you saw fit. All of the mindless sheep in Konoha never cared if I lived or died so long as they weren't the ones in my place. Its so sad its pathetic," replied Shao Kahn with Minato frowning while he winced in pain.

"In what way?" asked Minato while seeing Kakashi clutching his arm and Jiraiya was out cold.

"Isn't it obvious?! HA! You're even more blinded by your arrogance than even I thought possible! They suck up to you, they praised you, and the others for doing this to me since they weren't going to be the ones to suffer in the future. Not one of them would be made into a Jinchuriki and you were already planning to turn your loyal daughter into one with the expressed desire for the two of you to be seen as heroes. The people already loved you and openly making your daughter a Jinchuriki in the future following my own death wasn't going to be an issue. Why would it? She was strong, loyal to you, to Konoha, and would one day be among those joining the higher-ups in the seat of power once the Leaf was the uncontested Shinobi village throughout the Elemental Countries. Though all things considered in what all I've done since my return...your plans for her have been removed from play," replied Shao Kahn with Minato scowling.

"Not if I can drain all your power into a seal and transfer into Naruko. I can still do that," said Minato with Shao Kahn laughing.

"Go ahead and try fool! She won't have the strength to hold all the power within me. And even if she did, do you really think all those souls of the Uzumaki Clan within me will let her? They would tear her apart! She is not an Uzumaki in their eyes just as my Mother is no longer one to them in their eyes either. Your plan would fail before the ink on the seal you placed on Naruko to hold my power was completely dry," said Shao Kahn before he shoulder tackled Minato and sent him flying back.

'Damn it! I don't have the strength fight anymore. Maybe...Maybe I can still use..._it_! I may not have Obito's eye, but the Sharingan I do have might be able to pull it off if I focus my mind to command it,' thought Kakashi, as he focused his Sharingan Eye on Shao Kahn, trying to command it to change so he could perform the Kamui, and kill their enemy in one last surprise attack.

Sadly, the eye would not do what he commanded. In fact, Kakashi was sure the eye was rejecting him soon after implantation. This was always a possibility, but Tsunade had assured him it would work long enough to be useful before removing, and trying another eye. The Gondaime Hokage was sure Rin had done something different when it came to the transplanting of Obito's eye into Kakashi, but was unable to find out since the woman was dead, and her knowledge on what she did at the time died with her. No one had ever transplanted a Sharingan Eye into someone who was not an Uchiha simply because there was more than a strong chance of rejection. Kakashi was the only successful implantation to date aside from Danzo, but only because of Orochimaru's own means of using genetic manipulation mixed in with Hashirama's own cells. Tsunade could risk tampering with Kakashi's genetic structure, but she felt it would do him more harm than good, and the Jounin felt trading out one eye later for another was a far better choice.

IF he survived this day.

As for Shao Kahn, he was walking toward his Father, who was on his back, bleeding, had broken bones, and completely exhausted from his fight. The former Yondaime Hokage could not remember the last time he had fought so hard against such a strong opponent. Most of the time, his enemies ran away at the mere sight of him, and he just killed those who ran while sparing a few to be brought back for interrogation. He barely used a lot of his strength these days, mostly because the Kyuubi's chakra was in his body, and Minato felt invincible with it. However, with it removed by his son, Minato knew his strength had declined dramatically, and his own pool of chakra had also declined since he rarely used enough of it to beef up his reserves.

In short, the man's strength was much lower, and had lost a lot of the edge a man of his experience normally had in battle.

"Your strength is gone Father. Whatever power you had to call your own has left long since you became reliant on Kyuubi's chakra when sealed inside your body. You have used a power that was not your own too much and for too long. It never occurred to you that this might happen because the very idea of someone ripping out that very power you love using so much from your body was considered ludicrous. In your mind, you believed no one had the strength to match you in battle anymore, and those who did were simply too terrified of everyone else in the inner circle you've created in Konoha. Not that it matters when you think about it. Kakashi will soon be dead. So will Jiraiya. After I kill you, I will make my move against the Akatsuki, and then finally...Konoha itself will fall at my feet!" remarked Shao Kahn in a taunting way before bringing his foot down on the man's chest.

"Bastard! You would kill your own sister? She is innocent in all of this. We made her believe she was the superior sibling. Naruko doesn't deserve to die!" exclaimed Minato with Shao Kahn looking down at him with un unreadable face.

"I will determine that for myself Father. In the meantime, you should be more concerned about yourself, and what will happen to my Mother once I burn Konoha to the ground," said Shao Kahn before grabbing the man and pulling him close.

"You won't kill your Mother. Kushina brought you into this world!" said Minato defiantly while Shao Kahn grinned.

"Kushina gave birth to Uzumaki Naruto. I am Shao Kahn! A big difference if you ask me. Besides, we both know she would have no problem killing me right now, and you would no doubt do the same if our roles were currently reversed. Am I wrong?" said Shao Kahn with Minato not looking him in the eyes.

"You may defeat the three of us here, but not even you can stop a whole army of Konoha Shinobi from coming here. They will descend upon you like a flood, drowning your forces here currently defending Wave, and wiping everything off the face of the map!" declared Minato with Shao Kahn grinning.

"Let them come. I look forward to the battles I will be engaged in when the time comes to face Konoha's so called wrath. Your village has gotten fat, lazy, relying on you, and the other so called 'heroes' of legend in Konoha. I've seen into the souls of the other Shinobi from Konoha I've killed. They are dependant on you and the power you once wielded when you were a Jinchuriki. Without that power and Tsunade's medical knowledge in combination with it, Konoha is in for a rude awakening when the truth is revealed. The moral of your village will fall..._hard_!" replied Shao Kahn before laughing and punching Minato before backhanding him, which repeated multiple times.

With his face bloodied, bruised, a few teeth now missing, and a lot broken facial bones Minato was tossed aside. Shao Kahn moved to the struggling Kakashi currently trying to manipulate his new Sharingan Eye, but found it would not obey him. The Leaf Jounin knew he was truly doomed when the massive form of his enemy stood tall over him with the Wrath Hammer in hand.

"I don't suppose you will give a dying man a last request?" asked Kakashi with the image of Rin and Obito standing on either side Shao Kahn.

And they were both glaring at him with each saying one word apiece silently to the Leaf Jounin.

_Traitor_.

_Murderer_.

"Would you in my place and I was in yours?" countered Shao Kahn with a question of his own.

"No. I guess not," answered Kakashi before he was surprised when Shao Kahn grabbed his head, the massive thumb poking the Sharingan Eye, and making the man scream out in pain at losing it...again!

"I don't know where you got your new Sharingan Eye Kakashi, but I know after today, it won't be an issue for you. Ever!" exclaimed Shao Kahn before ripping out the man's soul and absorbing it into his body.

"No!" exclaimed Minato, as he saw his student get his soul absorbed into Shao Kahn's body, and the demonic giant relishing the moment like it was rare sake.

"Kakashi's soul and well over two thousand Jutsus are now..._mine_!" declared Shao Kahn before letting out a cruel laugh that echoed throughout the bridge.

"Jiraiya, we need to retreat now!" exclaimed Minato with the Toad Sage nodding before the two tried to retreat, but Shao Kahn was just simply too fast for their two beaten, and broken forms to handle.

"Not this time Father. You have a debt to pay," said Shao Kahn, as he had knocked the two down, and picked up his Father before repeatedly beating the man's body over and over again.

This wasn't going to be a simple beat your opponent until he was weak enough to rip out his soul. No! This was more than that. This was pent up frustration that was literally years in the making with the rage, the pain, and anger aimed at the former Yondaime Hokage. A man, who Shao Kahn had once admired before learning the truth, and then hated all these years. The hate, the pain, and rage were building within him since becoming Shao Kahn at the hands of Onaga. The injustice of it all. Of how his life's purpose was to be used by this man and the others for their goals in manipulating the world they wished to claim while ruling over it as pseudo-Gods. And to make matters worse, he had become the servant of another as the price for his continued living while being unable to fulfill the promise made prior to his escape.

Years of suffering!

_**BAM!**_

Years of hatred!

_**CRUNCH!**_

Years of endless fighting for what was always out of his reach!

_**SPLAT!**_

Shao Kahn looked down at his defeated foe's barely recognizable form, which was barely alive though one could argue otherwise. Breathing heavily for reasons unknown, finding his throat was parched from yelling with rage, Shao Kahn silently took the Namikaze's soul from his body, and threw it over the bridge to let it rot in the water below. For a long moment, the Wave Daimyo just stood there, his eyes looking at something no one else could see, and ignored the shocked Sannin barely ten feet from him.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" yelled Jiraiya angrily from what he just saw.

The yell snapped Shao Kahn out of his thoughts and he barely managed to dodge the hand with that seal on it before grabbing the extended limb. Without hesitation, the Wave Daimyo crushed the arm at the elbow, making Jiraiya cry out in pain, and once more fall to his knees.

"Where is your strength now Jiraiya?" mocked Shao Kahn before letting out a chuckle at seeing the Sannin in this state.

"Fuck you brat," replied Jiraiya defiantly before being forced to look at the giant demonic man holding his limp form like it weighed nothing.

"It must hurt you deep inside knowing your student, who was considered a son in your eyes was slain by his own child. That almost makes you my _Grandfather_ in some weird manner," taunted Shao Kahn with a grin on his face.

"You have no idea," remarked Jiraiya bitterly to himself, but Shao Kahn heard it, and chuckled once more.

"That's where you are wrong fool. Remember, I have my Father's memories when I took his soul just now. I know the _truth_ about his parentage and _real connection _to you," said Shao Kahn with Jiraiya looking at him shock and gritting his teeth in the process.

"If you're expecting me to beg for mercy simply because I'm your Grandfather, then you are seriously mistaken brat!" exclaimed Jiraiya defiantly before being punched in the face by Shao Kahn.

"I don't want you to beg Jiraiya. I want you to _die_! To think no one, not even Orochimaru or Danzo knew you had a child, and with Tsunade no less. I can see why she put him up for adoption though at the orphanage. Both of you were unmarried, he was a bastard child if there ever was one, and the only person who knew the truth was Hiruzen. Blonde hair from his Mother, but it was spiky like yours, and it explains why my Father was so good at sealing. He inherited the skill from you and from what Uzumaki traits passed down to him from Tsunade on her Grandmother's side of the family. The _Uzumaki Clan _side of the family," stated Shao Kahn with Jiraiya sneering at him with blood leaking out of his mouth and staining his teeth.

'If he knows about that, then he know about...,' thought Jiraiya with wide eyes with Shao Kahn's grin increasing.

"If only Tsunade's so called 'lover' Dan knew the truth as you and I did. Honestly Jiraiya, you shouldn't have told your son _everything_ because now I know _everything_ he did when it came _that_ night. How you used your spy network to secretly sell Dan down the river to the Leaf's enemies, as he was getting too close to Tsunade for your liking, and was just as naive about being the next Hokage as I had once been in my youth. You and Hiruzen had no intention of him taking the hat since you both knew the man would never approve of half the things done under the old man's orders. You believed that if Dan took the mantle of Hokage, the very strength of village would decline rapidly, and decided to take him out of the game. You had to go through Tsunade to do it, but considering she was already cheating on Dan behind his back with you, and soon became pregnant with my Father...it didn't really bother her so much like she led everyone believe. Oh her tears for him were real, but we both know the tears she shed were not of sadness. They were of _joy_! Tsunade didn't use her skills as a medic that night to try and save him like the official story has been portrayed in the past for years. Rather she used such skills to _speed up_ his death, and covered up the fact her skills had done it," stated Shao Kahn with Jiraiya scowling at him.

"Dan was too soft hearted. He would have made Konoha weak. His nativity would have ruined us!" exclaimed Jiraiya with Shao Kahn narrowing his eyes at him.

"Just like Nawaki? Tsunade's little brother showed that same nativity as Dan did. You knew it, Hiruzen knew, and Tsunade knew it. Though unlike with Dan, she never agreed her little brother should be taken out so soon. She felt he could be turned, but you were not so sure, and Hiruzen wasn't going to take that chance. So the two of you, Danzo, and Orochimaru made sure the woman never knew of your plan at the time to take him out as well. Even if Tsunade had found out soon after, the woman was already in too deep, and wouldn't be able to break free from the path she was walking. You knew this when you were conspiring to take out Nawaki. What was it you called him? Future dead weight, correct? A disaster waiting happen was another term you called the boy. So naive. So innocent. So pure. You took the light of the Senju Clan that would have been its redemption and snuffed it out in fear that that the price of such redemption would be Konoha's strength weakening. You feared these people would take Konoha as you know it and turn the village upside down. That they would make the Leaf into a perverse version of what you love and bring all of your terrible sins to light in the process if he was given the chance," said Shao Kahn, as he had the souls of Konoha Shinobi, who were there for these meetings, and his Father's memories from when he was told the truth by Jiraiya.

"Naive children and people can't be Hokage. A Hokage must make hard choices. Hard life changing, life ending choices, and feel nothing for the lives they take. You could never have done it. Dan could never have done it. And Nawaki would _never _have been able to do to be Hokage. It took some doing, but Tsunade eventually came around to see reason, and while she mourned her brother...she also knew it was in the best interest of Konoha," explained Jiraiya with Shao Kahn snarling at him.

"And people called me a monster back in Outworld," mumbled Shao Kahn before he felt Jiraiya had lived long enough and snapped the man's neck after putting his large hand on the Sannin's head before giving it twist to hear a loud "SNAP!" that echoed throughout the area.

The man's soul was soon absorbed into Shao Kahn and the Wave Daimyo found himself not enjoying his victory like he first thought. The man had just killed three of the people on his top most vile humans on his list of those he hated with all of his being and yet felt none of the joy in it.

Maybe it would come later? When _all_ of the guilty people involved fell by his hands and nothing of Konoha remained? Yes. That was it. Once his revenge was complete would he feel the satisfaction his heart long desired.

Three major Konoha Shinobi powerhouses down...an entire village filled with arrogant fools left to go.

But first...he had a certain Jinchuriki hunting organization to destroy.

(Konoha-At the Moment)

Naruko was walking through Konoha, her training was done for the day, and she felt like walking about to do some random things. Talk to people. Buy things. Maybe a prank or two just because she could and help life up the moral of Konoha.

But mostly to distract Naruko from the current thoughts surrounding her big brother, who had single handedly turned this war _against_ Konoha, and dealt several major blows. Her Mother had told Naruko about what was happening at the various meetings Minato had with the others about the current situation of the war, the losses taken since the return of their remaining family member. They never expected the weak, scorned, hated, abused, and neglected family member to fulfill his promise after escaping his execution. It was as if this was some form of karma based retribution by the Gods themselves as their way of saying they were not going to stand for Konoha's warmongering.

As she thought about this, Naruko felt herself stop in mid-step, as a sudden sense of dread filled her stomach. Like someone had dipped molten lava into her belly and wondered why she felt this way right now? Was it some kind of premonition? Possibly instincts of some kind? Her Father had left the village recently with Jiraiya and Kakashi.

'Could they have been...killed?' thought Naruko with the sense of worry and dread over losing those close to her now building up even further.

And she wasn't the only one either. Kushina, Tsunade, and Shizune were all feeling this too. They felt like something or rather _someone_ had just ripped out a piece of them and crushed it without hesitation.

'Its Shao Kahn. He's done something to them,' thought Tsunade, Kushina, and Shizune at the same time with a sense of realization reaching each of them in that single moment.

Shao Kahn had won yet again.

(A/N: YAY! I updated. Sorry its not longer. I felt this was as far as I could go with this kind of chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. Until next time...PEACE!)


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9-Old Business

(A/N: As you may or may not have heard, SOPA is back, making the lives of writers like you, and I very unhappy. And by unhappy, I mean threatening our ability to do what we love, and love what we do. So I need everyone to sign that damn petition to stop it if you haven't already. As for some of you who are waiting until SOPA blows over, I say get off your ass, and continue writing no matter what. If you truly love to write stories like I do, it won't stop you from writing, and posting them to show you are prepared to keep going until the end. I'm still going to write and still going to post until the last second I'm able to do it and will _only_ stop should (all things in the Universe forbid) SOPA actually be made into a law. So for all of you scared pansies out there, cast away your fears, sit down in front of your computer (if you aren't already since some of you may be reading this on your phones), AND GET TO WRITING! Enjoy!)

(Earthrealm-At the Moment)

"Your allies have failed you Raiden. You have lost," remarked Shinnok, as he saw the God of Earthrealm struggling to stand.

"I can still fight Shinnok. So long as I live, Earthrealm has a future," remarked Raiden before shooting lightning from his hands at Shinnok, who was pushed back, and shot back an attack of his own.

"Then I will see to it that Earthrealm has no future...by killing you!" proclaimed Shinnok, as he attacked Raiden once more, seeing the Thunder God getting weaker, and weaker as he pressed the attack.

To the side, Quan Chi, and Tanya watched with amusement with Scorpion standing by unreadable due to his mask while Sonya and Johnny Cage had their hands tied behind their back. Beside them was Bo' Rai Cho, Kenshi, Kai, a physically scarred Liu Kang, Ermac, and the Wind God Fujin. Behind the two prisoners stood the enslaved resurrected souls of Jax Briggs, Smoke, Jade, Kitana, Sub-Zero in his cyberized form, Stryker, Kabal, Kung Lao, Sindel, and Nightwolf stood by watching with glazed over eyes.

"I am not so easily vanquished!" exclaimed Raiden, as he pushed Shinnok back once again, and saw Shinnok scowl.

"He cannot win. Shinnok is too powerful," remarked Liu Kang while watching the fight and wished he had listened to the Thunder God before rushing into things.

After being saved, if just barely by the Thunder God, the Shaolin Monk's faith in the deity had been shaken. Even with the fact Shao Kahn had been defeated by the Elder Gods intervening and possessing Raiden did little to renew his faith in the Thunder God after all that was lost. So for a time, Liu Kang returned to the Shaolin Temple, and had eventually sought out Bo' Rai Cho for guidance. The older and much wiser man heard the Shaolin Monk's plight regarding Raiden's visions and the Thunder God making things worse. Kung Lao's death, Earthrealm warriors dying, Princess Kitana dying, which Liu Kang admitted he was having feelings for, and believed she did the same.

Bo' Rai Cho had told Liu Kang more in depth about the rules of Mortal Kombat, the Elder Gods, and how there were whispered rumors about the foretelling of Armageddon. The Outworld native admitted to Liu Kang that while he didn't know when Armageddon would happen, it would happen, and that Raiden's visions from his future self were clear signs it had happened in their lifetime. How the changes to their current timeline was meant to stop the horrible outcome in the aftermath of Armageddon from happening in the future. The man went on further to explain to Liu Kang about the price one makes regardless of their status in the overall aspect of things when changing outcomes before they happen. Friends could become enemies, what happens to one person could happen to another in the former's place, as it was apparent with Sub-Zero being captured instead of Smoke by the Lin Kuei for their cyber initiative. The loss of Kitana was harsh too, as Bo' Rai Cho saw his former student had possibly found love, and with an actual Princess too no less!

Whatever that outcome may have been at the end of Armageddon, from the way Raiden focused on Shao Kahn in an obsessive manner, it was clear in Bo' Rai Cho's mind who was the victor was. If the price of Shao Kahn failing to achieve his end game was those souls lost before the event could happen, Liu Kang had to accept this ever painful truth, and continue to protect the realm from future threats that would rise to take Shao Kahn's place.

"Don't count him out yet Liu. Raiden's got a few tricks up his sleeve. I'm sure of it," said Johnny with the man watching the Thunder God hold his own despite the odds.

"Even if he defeats Shinnok here, Raiden will not have the strength to fight Quan Chi, Scorpion, or Tanya in battle," remarked Kenshi, as he sensed Quan Chi, Scorpion, and Tanya knew this too.

They were merely waiting to see who the victor of this fight before acting accordingly.

(Chamber of the Elder Gods)

Shao Kahn opened his eyes, finding himself standing before the Elder Gods once more in their domain just as he had been months earlier when facing judgment. The only real difference between that moment and this one was his body did not have chains wrapped around it.

"Why have you summoned me here?" asked Shao Kahn though with irritation in his voice.

One moment, he was in his castle, planning out the next stage of things with Anko, and Hinata along with a few Shinobi from each group in the alliance. The next, a portal opens behind him, and a ethereal figure that was one of the Elder Gods had appeared, and told Shao Kahn he was needed in a meeting with them.

_**"We need your help Shao Kahn. Or rather...Raiden needs you help,"**_ replied the female Elder God calmly.

"Raiden? The Thunder God was my enemy for ages. Why would he seek out my help now?" questioned Shao Kahn curiously since he was sure the Thunder God didn't know of his continued existence.

_**"The Fallen Elder God Shinnok has used your alliance against Earthrealm to gather the souls of some of its greatest warriors and even those from Edenia. As its stands, the war Raiden is waging against Shinnok is not going in his favor, and will soon lose if the tied is not turned. We are asking for your help to defeat Shinnok and Quan Chi before they can conqueror Earthrealm,"**_ said another Elder God with a deep voice.

_**"It would also help in redeeming yourself for your past actions against Raiden and the other realms you conquered," **_offered yet another Elder God with a light male voice.

"What about my realm? If I leave now...it will leave everything I have done open to be attacked by my enemies. You cannot expect me to leave my realm to fight for you and Raiden at such a crucial point!" challenged Shao Kahn with the Elder Gods being silent for a moment.

_**"Time flows differently in your realm when compared the others Shao Kahn. Months in the chakra realm is years in Earthrealm and the other realms too. We have foreseen that little will transpire that you cannot handle upon returning to the Chakra Realm once Shinnok and Quan Chi have been eliminated,"**_ replied the female Elder God.

"I will hold you to that claim," replied Shao Kahn with narrowed eyes before a portal opened up.

_**"This will take you directly to Earthrealm where a battle between Raiden and Shinnok is currently taking place,"**_ explained one of the Elder Gods that had yet to speak.

"Very well. However, I have additional questions that need answering. If I do this...I will want them all answered," said Shao Kahn before entering the portal.

(Earthrealm-Moments Earlier)

Raiden was on the ground, beaten, bloodied, and ultimately...defeated. The Fallen Elder God Shinnok had played his game well. Using Shao Kahn all those years ago to weaken Earthrealm, bring the souls of its mightiest warriors to the Netherrealm, and become his mindless drones. Raiden had fought back with the survivors of Shao Kahn's invasion and those he had visions of fighting in a war beyond this one with Shinnok.

Sadly, it was not enough.

"You've lost Raiden. The Elder Gods have abandoned you. Your forces have lost. Look at them. They are my prisoners. Soon they will be my slaves. I have done what Shao Kahn could not do. I have taken Earthrealm and there is not a soul in all the realms that can stand in my way!" declared Shinnok before laughing before a portal opened up and he along with Quan Chi turned to see who it was.

And they along with everyone else alive was shocked at what they saw.

"No! It can't be! It's impossible!" exclaimed Quan Chi in shock and fear.

"He's alive?! But...the Elder Gods...," whispered Raiden with the figure from the portal looking at all of them.

"I thought he was destroyed by the Elder Gods? What the Hell?!" said Johnny Cage while Sonya was shocked as well at seeing the figure again.

"How are you still alive Shao Kahn?" demanded Shinnok with Shao Kahn looking at him, then the defeated warriors of Earthrealm, and finally Raiden.

"You've gotten yourself in quite the predicament my old enemy," remarked Shao Kahn before letting out a small chuckle and walking toward the two deities.

"How...How did you...escape the Elder Gods?" asked Raiden while looking up at Shao Kahn, who was walking toward him.

"It doesn't matter. I am here to help you," said Shao Kahn much to the shock of everyone around him.

"Say what?" asked Johnny Cage dumbly.

Before anyone could even comprehend what Shao Kahn just said, the former Emperor of Outworld was moving, and Shoulder Slammed the Fallen Elder God away from Raiden. Quan Chi called upon his sorcery to strike Shao Kahn, but the giant man merely grunted in annoyance, and swatted the attack away. The necromancy sorcerer took a step back and went defensive when he saw his enemy summon that infamous Wrath Hammer.

"Why are you doing this Shao Kahn? Surely the Elder Gods have not made you into their pet?" questioned Quan Chi before he was struck by Shao Kahn with the weapon in hand in an uppercut swing to the jaw.

"No. I'm not their pet. We've worked out an..._arrangement_ of sorts," replied Shao Kahn with a grin on his face before turning to Shinnok.

"You will pay for this action against me Shao Kahn! I will do what Raiden here failed to do from the start. What the Elder Gods do not have the courage to do," remarked Shinnok angrily.

"And what is that Shinnok?" questioned Shao Kahn with a hint of amusement in his voice while Shinnok called upon his powers.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" yelled Shinnok before shooting a blast of his power at Shao Kahn who merely laughed at him.

"Your servant could not hurt me. Nor could Raiden with his power. What makes you so confident your own power could be a match for me?" questioned Shao Kahn before the Fallen Elder God stopped the attack and stared at him.

"You've gotten stronger. But...how? What is this feeling I sense from you?" demanded Shinnok with Shao Kahn smiled with fanged teeth shinning.

"That feeling you sense from me Shinnok...is that of your own doom in the physical form that stands before you now," replied Shao Kahn before moving in close and smashing his fist into the fallen deities face with the power behind hit sending him flying.

"Quan Chi! Scorpion! Tanya! Help me! NOW!" demanded Shinnok after spitting out some blood.

Quan Chi attacked yet again, using his power to summon skeletal warriors with swords, and shields to fight the former Emperor of Outworld. Easily cast aside by Shao Kahn's mastery over his own sorcery and gave Quan Chi a piercing look that made the sorcerer stop from aiding his Master. Scorpion and Tanya only watched, as they did not wish to face such a powerful foe capable of defeating their Master.

"Stay out of this sorcerer...or you will be next!" commanded Shao Kahn before he turned his attention back Shinnok, who got off the ground, and brought his own weapon up.

"DIE!" yelled Shinnok, as he readied himself with his naginata, and charged forward to pierce the giant with the blade.

"Fool," remarked Shao Kahn, as he dodged Shinnok's thrust, and backhanded the former deity away.

Shinnok stumbled. He tried to swing his weapon at Shao Kahn, but the man caught the blade with one of his massive hands, and didn't even flinch the blade clearly cut into his palm. The Fallen Elder God watched in horror, as the former Emperor of Outworld broke the blade with ease, and was now towering over Shinnok with a displeased look on his face.

"Wait! We can still work together Shao Kahn. Surely our alliance means something to you?" questioned Shinnok with Shao Kahn not looking the least bit interested.

All the while, Raiden, and his allies held their breath while waiting for the man's response to the offer.

"You betrayed me Shinnok. The alliance we had was a farce. Such treachery will not go unpunished," remarked Shao Kahn with angry crimson eyes before grabbing Shinnok by the front of his shirt and smashed his Wrath Hammer against the side of the fallen deities' head.

Shinnok's head left his body and went flying into a nearby wall before it slumped down to the ground. The Fallen Elder God was now officially...dead.

To his right, Shao Kahn saw a woman wearing yellow and black with dark hair, and saw she was not one of Raiden's followers. Quan Chi saw his Master had been slain and he knew it was only a matter of time before Shinnok's fate was his own. The sorcerer moved to flee, but Shao Kahn had hit him in the back with a Light Spear, and was now on the ground paralyzed.

"Such incredible power. I am honored to be in your presence oh great and powerful Shao Kahn," replied the dark haired woman wearing yellow, who currently swayed her hips while moving toward Shao Kahn.

"That double crossing slut! Its bad enough Shao Kahn isn't dead like we thought he was, but now he's got himself a new enforcer to help him rebuild his empire!" remarked Sonya while tied down beside Johnny and both were struggling to get free.

Shao Kahn glanced over a Sonya for a moment and looked down at the woman in front of him smiling a seductive smile.

"What is your name woman?" asked Shao Kahn while ignoring Raiden's attempts to try standing up.

"Tanya! You traitor!" exclaimed Quan Chi while turning his head to look the two while Scorpion watched and did nothing.

"My name is Tanya my Emperor. A humble servant to those more powerful than myself," replied Tanya before bowing in front of him.

"She is a traitor to Edenia. She betrayed her people. She will betray anyone so long as it keeps her alive," remarked Raiden while trying to stand.

"I can't betray someone who is dead Lord Raiden. Edenia is no longer part of Outworld, my Queen and Princess are both dead, and Shinnok has been slain. How is it betrayal?" challenged Tanya to Raiden before she looked up at Shao Kahn and batted her eyelashes at him.

Narrowing his eyes, Shao Kahn looked where the bodies of his once adopted daughter, and Earthrealm warriors had been standing. They were still trapped as they were by Quan Chi's influence after the alliance he made with Shinnok gave the Fallen Elder God their souls once killed. Seeing Kitana and Sindel like that made Shao Kahn's blood boil, the woman in front of him not caring at all that the Edenian Princess nor its Queen was in that state, and didn't care for anything except her own survival.

"Disgusting," remarked Shao Kahn before grabbing a surprised Tanya by the throat and crushed it along with snapping the woman's neck.

"Ouch!" remarked Johnny Cage while Shao Kahn did a quick throw that sent the now dead woman away from his sight.

Turning his attention to Quan Chi, the former Emperor walked over to downed sorcerer, and a massive sandaled foot on the pale man's spine.

"Wait! Wait! Show mercy Emperor Shao Kahn! I beg of you!" pleaded Quan Chi while feeling his lower body being pressed down and his upper body being lifted up.

"The deal your dead Master made with me is nullified sorcerer. Meaning all these souls no longer belong to you, Shinnok, or the Netherrealm. They belong to me! And my first and final act is to set these souls free from their mindless enslavement!" declared Shao Kahn before ripping the man in half and slamming him down on the ground before he looked at Scorpion with narrowed eyes.

"Ouch!" remarked Johnny seeing what just happened.

"You already said that," said Sonya with Johnny shrugging at her.

"What else can I say about what he just did?" questioned Johnny before he turned to look from her to Shao Kahn currently staring at the Netherrealm specter.

"It would interest you to know specter that Quan Chi was the one responsible for your clan's annihilation," replied Shao Kahn with Scorpion looking shocked by this and looked right at the scared sorcerer.

"What? But...the Lin Kuei attacked my home!" demanded Scorpion angrily with Shao Kahn shaking his head no.

"According...to who?" asked Shao Kahn before glancing at the fearful and dying Quan Chi.

"You lied to me! YOU LIED TO ME!" yelled Scorpion at Quan Chi with the Hellfire now erupting from his body at the sudden rage and betrayal at serving the man who had done this to him.

"I'm so glad I didn't face him like that in the Mortal Kombat Tournament," remarked Johnny Cage before seeing Scorpion take off his mask and reveal the fiery skull behind it.

Quan Chi was pleading for his life, but was ignored by the enraged specter, and was soon screaming out in agonizing pain from being burned alive by the stream of Hellfire that had unleashed by Scorpion. When it was over, Scorpion said nothing, his mask back on, and yet he seemed lost on what to do next. Before anyone could say or do anything, the ninja specter turned to face Shao Kahn, and bowed respectfully to the former Emperor of Outworld before departing in a portal to a location of his choosing.

With that done, Shao Kahn slowly walked toward Earthrealm's warriors currently tied up and Johnny gulped nervously at the tall giant of a man standing in front of him.

"Scared?" asked Shao Kahn with a grin while the enslaved souls around them became alive and aware of their surroundings.

"Would you believe me if I said no?" asked Johnny with Shao Kahn shaking his head.

"No," replied Shao Kahn before picking the two up off the ground along with the others and broke the bonds that held them in place before both warriors of Earthrealm jumped back with defensive battle stances with the others doing the same.

"Hold!" commanded Raiden, as he walked toward them, and so did the various warriors now freed from their deathly enslavement.

"What? Why?" asked Sonya while seeing the other warriors killed during Shao Kahn's invasion or those captured during Shinnok's now surrounding them.

"Because Shao Kahn is no longer our enemy," answered Raiden with everyone looking at him like he had just grown a second head.

"You mean not at the moment. But that could change," remarked Sonya while not letting down her guard.

"No. It won't," replied Shao Kahn before he went onto a explanation of what went on between himself and the Elder Gods along with connection to the Chakra Realm.

To an extent anyway.

"I had heard rumors about that realm. So the Elder Gods decreed you to be the Child of Prophecy foretold all those years ago for that realm," deduced Raiden with Shao Kahn nodding.

"It still doesn't change the fact that this guy caused so much damage in the first place," remarked Sonya before she sent a heated glare at Shao Kahn.

"What you think of me is irrelevant. What does matter is your realm is once again safe, if only for a short time. Even now, there are worse things than Shinnok and myself waiting in the shadows to strike," remarked Shao Kahn before walking away from the small army of warriors.

"Shao Kahn wait!" said Raiden while the former Emperor obeyed.

"What is it Raiden? I cannot stay long," replied Shao Kahn before glancing back at the Thunder God.

"I wish to accompany you to see the Elder Gods. I have questions that need answering in regards to your change. Its faint, but I sense something in you is different from your time invading Earthrealm," replied Raiden with Shao Kahn nodding since he had been feeling the change too.

Before he moved to take another step toward the portal, Shao Kahn stopped in thought, and turned slightly to see Kitana and Sindel staring at him. A mixture of emotions in their eyes, as they were unsure how to perceive him, and rightfully so after everything he had done to them. On one hand, Shao Kahn had killed Kitana's Father, married Sindel, and adopted the Queen's daughter when she was a child when she was unable to remember the events that befell Edenia. On the other, Shao Kahn had raised Kitana like his own, same with Sindel being his Queen, and treated them well regardless of how the latter chose to end things between them. Only for years to go by and the fear of being betrayed by Kitana forcing Shao Kahn to take measures to ensure he had a child worthy of him.

And the events that followed it caused so many problems.

"Shao Kahn?" asked Raiden when he saw the warrior turn around and walk toward the Edenian Princess.

"Just a moment Raiden. I have some unfinished business here," replied Shao Kahn, as he walked up to Sindel and Kitana, both staring up at him, her fellow warriors now watching intently, and some were prepared to strike should he make the first move.

"I don't know to say to you right now," said Kitana while she looked up at the man who she had called Father for a good portion of her life.

"Funny. I was thinking the same thing. To both of you actually," replied Shao Kahn in a hushed tone while sorrow showing in his eyes.

"You hurt me. In that moment, when I learned of being replaced by my..._twin_, and when you told me about my Father dying at your hands. I was surprised to see my Mother was alive, but had become my enemy," replied Kitana with Shao Kahn nodding.

"Yes. I did hurt you. At one point, I had hoped your twin sister would watch you in the event you betrayed me, but my hand was forced. I saw you bring Shang Tsung before me, demanding answers for what it was you saw in the Flesh Pits, and knew any answer I gave would make you question your loyalty. As for your Mother, even when I treated her like a Queen, she took her own life in an act of betrayal, and created a powerful magical ward that was keeping me from Earthrealm. Quan Chi suggested he use his necromancy to bring her back, to remove the ward, and allow me access to Earthrealm. While that was the main reason why I had her brought back, deep down...I secretly yearned to have her by my side once again," replied Shao Kahn with Kitana seeing the various emotions regarding her Mother playing through his eyes.

"She killed most of us that day. Nightwolf sacrificed himself to save those who were left and resulted in both of them being enslaved by Quan Chi," replied Sonya before seeing Shao Kahn close his eyes and clench his fists in anger.

"You truly did care for me," said Sindel while Shao Kahn focused on the Edenian Queen and nodded.

"I may have killed your husband, conquered the realm of Edenia, but regardless of those things, I did love you. You are strong, beautiful, smart, and so many other things that made my blood boil with passion. When you killed yourself to spite me, it felt like the ultimate betrayal to my heart, as I treated you with respect, and tried to make you happy despite everything. As I ruled over Outworld following my victory over Edenia, you feared for your safety, and begged me to spare your daughter's life. That if I truly loved you, I would allow Kitana to live, and raise her as if she were my own child. After you ended your life, I thought about you, and what to do now that my Queen had betrayed me. I soon believed Kitana might one day try to betray me and become my enemy. Hence why I had Shang Tsung create Kitana's twin to ensure that would it never happen again. Regardless of this, I did care about you Kitana, and I had hoped beyond hope that my belief in you one day betraying me was misplaced," explained Shao Kahn with Kitana nodding.

"You did raise me. You could have killed me at any time, yet you stayed your hand until put in a position where you felt there was no other alternative. You must truly have loved my Mother to hold back until that moment," replied Kitana with Shao Kahn nodding before his gaze turned to Sindel.

"I did. I only wish she had loved me back," replied Shao Kahn before slowly raising his hands and put one on each of the woman's shoulders with a moment of silence passing between them.

"I can't call you Father anymore. After everything you've done to me...I just can't call you that. I believe Mother feels the same way as I do," replied Kitana with Sindel nodding in agreement and Shao Kahn just looked at them for a moment before he pulled to two close and held the women tight to his form.

"No matter what you may think of me, I will always consider you my wife, and Queen my beloved Sindel. Kitana, you are my daughter, and I will always be proud of you. I will always love you, even if it cannot be returned," replied Shao Kahn before letting go of Kitana and Sindel while leaving the stunned women to watch him enter the portal with Raiden to see the Elder Gods.

"Wow! Now if I only I had a camera on me to record that heart felt moment. It was truly Oscar worthy," commented Johnny before getting punched in the head by Sonya.

"You know what else is Oscar worthy? Me giving you a concussion!" exclaimed Sonya angrily at his dumbass remark.

Everyone around them chuckled.

(Chamber of the Elder Gods)

_**"You have questions. Speak them,"**_ replied one of the Elder Gods, as he along with the others stared at Shao Kahn currently standing in the center of the room, and Raiden off to the side listening.

"Why am I changing? Why do I feel like a piece of Uzumaki Naruto is still alive in me? Why do I feel guilt over my actions conquering Edenia, killing its very King, claiming its Queen, and hurting Kitana after years of raising her like she was my own? Why do I feel a change in me that was never there before?" demanded Shao Kahn, as he felt his old self would have never apologized the way he did to Kitana, or to Sindel like he did just now.

_**"You are right to question this. Shao Kahn, what you do not realize is that the boy you once were, the boy that represented Uzumaki Naruto, and your old life...never died. It was suppressed. Not only by the dark magic used by Onaga: The Dragon King, but by the One Being itself. When you first came into Onaga's service, he used his power to keep the moral part of you that was left of Uzumaki Naruto at bay,"**_ said the female Elder God calmly.

_**"This suppression was further enforced by the Will of the One Being, who was not only influencing Onaga at the time, but you as well, and when Onaga began to redirect matters toward the secrets of Immortality for himself. The One Being sensed this and focused its attention to you and your desire to find your home realm. By focusing on your determination and drive to get your revenge, it was able to influence your actions, and keep the side of you that is Uzumaki Naruto at bay,"**_ said a male Elder God with Shao clenching his fists.

"So with the One Being no longer influencing me like it did when I was Emperor, the remaining piece of Uzumaki Naruto left behind has awakened," concluded Shao Kahn while the Elder Gods nodded as one.

_**"You made some cruel decisions Shao Kahn. Some of which you would have never done had the moral side representing Uzumaki Naruto been kept locked away. Would you have considered them as options to choose from? Yes. Would you have followed through with them? No,"**_ replied the female Elder God and saw Shao Kahn sighing.

"Thank you for sharing this with me. Now I must return to my realm and protect my true home," replied Shao Kahn before a portal opened up for him.

_**"Before you go back, there is something you need to know about your realm. The very organization hunting Jinchuriki has begun to make its move. Two of its members are on their way to the Shinobi village called Suna and will be arriving shortly within the hour to attack your friend Sabaku no Gaara,"**_ replied one of the Elder Gods.

"WHAT?!" yelled Shao Kahn furiously at being told this now since it would be too late to save his friend by the time he got back home and had a means to find a way to get himself to Suna.

_**"Fear not for your friend Shao Kahn. This portal will take you to Suna by the time the attackers arrive to make their attempt to kidnap him,"**_ replied the female Elder God.

"I have don't have much time. Gaara maybe strong, but the Akatsuki is known for having Kage level members. I need to hurry!" exclaimed Shao Kahn, as he rushed through the portal, and was gone seconds later.

"I never would have believed I would see the day when Shao Kahn cared for someone other than himself," remarked Raiden while seeing the change showing more and more during in Shao Kahn during his conversation with the Elder Gods.

_**"Shao Kahn has endured much in his lifetime long before becoming the enemy you knew at one point Raiden. You would do well to remember that,"**_ replied one of the Elder Gods and Raiden nodded.

"I will. Had it not been for Shao Kahn's sudden arrival, the outcome of Earthrealm, and many others would have been different," said Raiden with the Elder Gods nodding in full agreement.

_**"Indeed. Hence why we sent him to turn the tide of the battle in your favor Raiden,"**_ said one of the Elder Gods around him.

"Thank you Elder Gods for your indirect assistance. Now I must prepare my forces before the other threats the visions I have foreseen following this one appear," replied Raiden before he left the chamber.

(Chakra Realm-Suna)

Suna was under attack. The Akatsuki member Deidara: The Mad Bomber was on a giant bird made of clay, bombing the village from the sky, and his partner Sasori of the Red Sands was using his puppets to attack from within. They worked well together despite their issues regarding art either being long lasting (Sasori) or explosive (Deidara), and were chosen specifically to work together in combating Sabaku no Gaara for what he held inside of his body.

"My art is a bang!" exclaimed Deidara before dropping a few more clay bombs descend upon the village.

"Spare me your flash in a pan way of expressing yourself Deidara. We are here to find the One-Tailed Jinchuriki," replied Sasori through his headset to his partner.

"Just do your part of the plan Sasori. Why did I have to be partnered with someone who thinks art lasts forever. Honesty!" exclaimed Deidara while flying around and trying to make Suna's Jinchuriki come out of hiding.

Only to barely dodge a spear made of green chakra or some other form of energy from hitting him.

"Deidara, we have a problem," replied Sasori below.

"No shit Sasori. Someone actually threw some weird green spear at my head!" exclaimed Deidara before looking down for the thrower.

"You don't understand. I'm fighting Sabaku no Gaara right now. He was suppose to fight you to counteract his sand while I dealt with his siblings," replied Sasori with Deidara frowning.

"So who threw that green shit at me?" questioned Deidara before he dodge several arrows aimed at him.

"Giving the description of the attack used, I would guess it is the Kyuubi Jinchuriki," said Sasori while his puppets were being destroyed by the Suna siblings teamwork.

It would be impressive if not for the fact such teamwork was being used against him.

"Seriously?! Since when do Jinchuriki help each other? None of the Shinobi villages chosen Jinchuriki have eve-OH SHIT!" questioned Deidara before his conversation with Sasori was cut short when he saw a large body mass jumping towards him while holding a large hammer based weapon.

He had to abandon his clay bird.

The massive explosion made when the Wrath Hammer impacted with the clay bird shook Suna violently, sending Shao Kahn flying back, and Deidara forward toward the ground. Shao Kahn flipped back using an impressive agility for someone of his size and landed on a building rooftop, skidding as he hit the ground, and finally stopped at the edge with his back to it.

Deidara landed with the grace of a drunk, hitting the edge of the roof before falling off of it, and landed head first into the sand in a very undignified position. Flailing both of his arms around before prying his head out of the sand, the Mad Bomber of Iwa spit out the grainy substance, and looked up to see Shao Kahn was on a building several buildings away with those crimson red eyes glowing at him.

It was actually freaking Deidara out.

"Deidara! We need to retreat! We need to draw the Kazekage out of Suna!" Sasori called out to his partner and realized they had underestimated the strength if not the unity of the Suna siblings working together.

That and the Kyuubi Jinchuriki had somehow arrived to shift things against them.

"Good! I can't stand this sand filled shithole any longer. How you lived with it all these years is beyond me," remarked Deidara before he ran while making another bird using the amount of clay in his possession.

Unfortunately, for Deidara anyway, he never got a chance to complete the bird, as the Wrath Hammer Shao Kahn wielded was thrown at him, hitting the clay in his hands, and causing it to explode. While not enough to kill the Mad Bomber, it did make picking up things, or making bombs impossible to do at the moment.

Simply because Deidara now had _NO _hands to work with due to being blown off.

"You won't be going anywhere," remarked Shao Kahn while recalling his Wrath Hammer to his hand and stared down at the former Iwa Shinobi.

"It ironic when you think about it. My own creation cripples me and I go out not with a bang, but in a state of painful whimper bordering on silence," whisper Deidara before letting out a small laugh.

"You brought this on yourself fool. Not to mention you _dared_ to attack a dear friend of mine," replied Shao Kahn before he moved to raise his Wrath Hammer and bring it down on the Mad Bombers head...but stopped for a second in thought.

"What are you waiting for? Kill me!" exclaimed Deidara, as he did not want to live his life crippled, and unable to use his art.

"You said it was ironic to go out in a whimper instead of a bang. Since you are someone who appreciates his art at such a fanatical level, I think you should be given a send off befitting someone so dedicated to it," replied Shao Kahn before forming a ball of chakra in his hands currently swirling around and it made the Mad Bomber's eyes widen in shock.

"That move...its...its the Rasengan! The Yondaime Hokage's infamous one handed Jutsu said to be A-rank!" exclaimed Deidara in shock with Shao Kahn smirking.

"Yes. It _was_ his move. Now it has become mine. I killed him and took the man's soul. All his memories and Jutsus belong to me now," replied Shao Kahn with Deidara laughing now at this knowing how destructive this orb was when it made contact with something.

"So I do go out with a bang after all. The Yondaime Hokage would have never allowed it. No doubt saying it would be the ultimate punishment for someone like me," said Deidara while seeing Shao Kahn narrowing his eyes at him.

"I am many things Deidara, but I can assure you I'm not my Father. When I kill you, I kill you in a way befitting someone who is my enemy, and only if I get upset do I deny them a death they want," replied Shao Kahn before thrusting the Rasengan into Deidara and making the Mad Bomber explode violently.

Even when his death happened, the man had a huge smile on his face knowing his end was both explosive and artistic...in a weird sort of way.

Not that far away, Sasori cursed his luck, as he found himself surrounded on all sides by the Kazekage, his siblings, and every Suna Shinobi in the village. Even his entire army of puppets are no match for the whole village right now and to make matters _worse_...Shao Kahn walking toward the Puppet Master from behind.

"I will no doubt die here today in the village that birthed me, but I will see to it that I take _you_ down in the process!" exclaimed Sasori, as he attacked Shao Kahn along with all of his puppets in one big wave in the hopes the overall numbers would dominate him, and at least poison Shao Kahn with enough toxins in laced in the blades of his puppets to finish the job.

"Fire Style: Hell's Inferno Jutsu!" said Shao Kahn before launching a massive wave of fire at wall of puppets, watching them burn to ash due to the intensity of the fire, and leaving a burning puppet body of Sasori remaining on the ground.

And still surprisingly enough...very much alive!

"Finish me. Finish me now," whispered Sasori in defeat while Shao Kahn stood over him in that moment.

"I will. I intend to take your soul and the memories they hold. At the same time, I will ensure your legacy in puppetry is handed down to someone worthy of such knowledge," replied Shao Kahn before glancing at Kankuro, which Sasori saw before nodding.

"I see. In a sense, I will live on through my work. So long as there is someone willing to learn the art of puppetry and the skill to match...such an art can last a long time," said Sasori with Shao Kahn nodding before the Puppet Master opened up a secret chamber in his damaged puppet body and took out two scrolls before putting it to the side.

"What is this?" asked Shao Kahn with Sasori looking up at him.

"One scroll holds everything that my successor will need to continue my work in the art of puppetry. Past, present, and future projects in the art I love. The second scroll is a list of my spies throughout the Elemental Countries and information I've gathered within the Akatsuki itself in the event I would need a way out. Though seeing my memories after taking my soul, such information will no doubt be authenticated when reading the list," explained Sasori before Shao Kahn nodded and put his hand on the Puppet Master's head.

"While I despise you for joining the Akatsuki, I do have a certain respect for artists, and their desire to express themselves," replied Shao Kahn before taking Sasori's soul into his own and feeling the memories of the man turned puppet play through his mind.

And soon frowned at what he saw.

"What did you see Shao Kahn-sama?" asked Gaara since he knew that frown anywhere, even one hidden behind the helmet.

"One of Sasori's spies is Kabuto. Orochimaru's right hand Medic Nin," replied Shao Kahn before picking up the one scroll with information Sasori left him about his spy network.

"I find it hard to believe that someone like Orochimaru would let such a dangerous spy get close enough to him without knowing it," remarked Temari while Kankuro held onto Sasori's other scroll like it was worth more than gold.

"He didn't. I have Jiraiya's memories from when I killed him. Kabuto is not Sasori's spy, but has been making him believe otherwise. Kabuto is loyal to Orochimaru. A meeting between Kabuto and Sasori was to take place in a few days to trade information, which Orochimaru was going to use to attack Sasori, and kill him with Kabuto's help," replied Shao Kahn with Gaara frowning at this now.

"So what do you plan to do?" asked Temari with Shao Kahn smirking at him.

"I'm going to attend the meeting and Kankuro here is going to help," replied Shao Kahn with Kankuro looking shocked.

"Me? Why me?" asked Kankuro with Shao Kahn's smirk growing.

"I need a Puppet Master to fool Kabuto into thinking that the Sasori he is meeting is the real deal. You won't be in any real danger since you will control the fake Sasori from a safe distance to draw out Orochimaru so when the serpent does strike...it backfires on him in a most horrible fashion," replied Shao Kahn knowing the snake and his pet would not be expecting him in the slightest.

"It won't be easy, but if I work overtime, I should be able to recreate Sasori's form when he first attacked Suna, and make any inconsistencies Kabuto sees be considered injuries from the failed attack. Kabuto won't be able to determine if its the truth if he questions it and have no choice but to play along until Orochimaru makes his appearance," offered Kankuro since he had studied extensively in the art of puppetry with Sasori being an idol of sorts to live up to when using such a skill.

"Make it happen brother. The sooner we end Kabuto and Orochimaru, the sooner we can refocus on the rest of the Akatsuki, and its remaining members," ordered Gaara with his brother nodding and taking the puppet body of Sasori with him to make the necessary repairs to it.

"You won't be able to hide yourself considering your chakra levels are monstrous Shao Kahn," said Temari while blushing a bit when she began to look him up and down to see his body was just as impressive as ever.

"I won't be hiding. I'll be in plain sight," replied Shao Kahn with Gaara frowning.

"What do you mean?" asked Gaara before Shao Kahn explained his idea and it made the Kazekage and his sister widen in shock.

"That's...an interesting idea. But can you fool someone like Kabuto or Orochimaru for that matter long enough to strike?" questioned Gaara with Shao Kahn smirking at him.

"I just need to get within striking distance. Kabuto will be the first to die. Even if the Sannin escapes dying by my hands, it won't hurt us in the long run. In fact, him escaping my actually help us," replied Shao Kahn with Gaara looking confused.

"In what way?" asked Gaara with Shao Kahn letting out a small chuckle.

"Simple. The Sannin will come to realize the Leaf is doomed. The village will soon fall. When a snake sees its nest become compromised, it flees to safer places. Orochimaru is no different. I've dealt with my fair share of serpents my friend. I even employed one during my time as Emperor of Outworld and I know if my former sorcerer Shang Tsung had a chance to escape my rule for greener pastures he would have taken it. Orochimaru will soon realize that Konoha is no longer a place where he can stay safe to do what he wishes. Jiraiya, Minato, and Kakashi are all dead with the news of it soon reaching the Leaf to inspire fear into their hearts. Orochimaru and Kabuto will have most likely left before hearing this piece of information so when the former returns to Konoha to learn of that painful fact...the Sannin's loyalty will be shaken," replied Shao Kahn while his eyes glowed red with bloodlust.

"And when he decides to flee Konoha...you will be ready for him," remarked Gaara with Shao Kahn nodding.

"Yes," answered Shao Kahn.

"Its a dangerous plan my friend. Even for you," remarked Gaara while Shao Kahn didn't look worried.

"Whether he dies sooner or later doesn't matter to me Gaara. So long as the Sannin does die in the end," replied Shao Kahn with Gaara nodding since that was true.

(Konoha-Days Later)

"Orochimaru and Kabuto left to meet Sasori?" asked Tsunade with the former Sandaime Hokage nodding.

"Yes. They are going to ambush Sasori after Kabuto sees him under false pretenses of providing the Puppet Master with information. The Akatsuki will be severely weakened with the loss of their member and keep them from getting an edge over us," said Hiruzen with Tsunade nodding.

"Jiraiya's latest report from his spies before his departure to fight the brat shows that the Akatsuki were targeting the Jinchuriki. By all indications, Suna will be hit first by this, and will be severely weakened without their Kazekage," added Tsunade since she knew without Gaara leading them, the village would be at a great disadvantage, and put the Leaf in a position to counter.

"Not only that, but the attack should have happened by now, meaning the Kazekage is dead, and they extracted the Biju," replied Hiruzen with Tsunade smirking.

"Let's see our enemies function without their Kazekage or the Akatsuki without their trusty Puppet Master," remarked Tsunade while Hiruzen scowled at her.

"Do not get overconfident here Tsunade. I fear our recent losses have put us at an equal if not greater disadvantage. Especially with the recent loss of Jiraiya, Minato, and Kakashi," said Hiruzen with Tsunade glaring at him.

"You don't know that!" Tsunade shot back at him.

"They haven't returned yet Tsunade. They should have by now and with Shao Kahn's head on your desk," challenged Hiruzen with Tsunade's glare increasing.

"They still have time," countered Tsunade, but Hiruzen knew she knew the truth, and was in denial.

"No they don't Tsunade. All three of them are dead. The mission was a failure. You know it, I know it, Shizune knows it, and Minato's family knows it deep down," replied Hiruzen with Tsunade looking away from him.

"That brat is going to pay for this. I swear it!" exclaimed Tsunade angrily while Hiruzen kept his mouth shut on the matter.

"Naruko has been increasing her training regime. She wants to have her fight with him sooner then later," remarked Hiruzen knowing the girl was itching for a fight with her brother.

"She'll get it soon enough. Once this matter with weakening the Akatsuki is resolved, we will focus our efforts against the Alliance, and Naruko can focus on her brother," said Tsunade with her sensei nodding.

"Sasuke will want in on this too. He's determined to kill Shao Kahn in the belief it will give him the next stage of the Sharingan Eyes," replied Hiruzen with Tsunade giving him a look.

"First off, Sasuke doesn't believe Shao Kahn is his best friend, he's doing it to flaunt his superiority over everyone else in the village...as usual. Second, he should be trying to make 'friends' within the village to gain it, not hold onto something that was never there to begin with. Third, Naruko will be the one to kill Shao Kahn. Not Sasuke. We need to kill Shao Kahn so we can properly seal his power into her body once the energy within his body is released. With Jiraiya and Minato now..._gone_, only Kushina, and Naruko have the ability to make that happen," countered Tsunade with Hiruzen nodding.

"I had Danzo go to the Fire Temple to begin manipulating the Sora boy. With any luck, he can get our pseudo Jinchuriki to act properly now that he's nearly fully grown with fully developed chakra coils able to handle the strain," said Hiruzen since they had been having problems with the boy, even after Kushina used her chakra chains, and Jiraiya had altered the seal on the boy to make such power more controllable.

Danzo would be able to push the boy in the right direction when the time came.

Mostly toward their enemies when the boy went into in a frenzy.

(A/N: And an update for those of you waiting for me to update. Hope you enjoyed it. The battle with Shinnok and saving the realms from him was more of a filler in a sense and a way to get Shao Kahn to arrive in Suna afterwards. Since it is quite the distance between Wave and Wind, I felt a middle point was needed to get Shao Kahn there faster, and an excuse to have him go snake hunting. On a more brighter note, a fellow writer known to us as The Engulfing Silence has successful made a novel, go to his profile, and check out his blog (there is a link to it there). Look for American Kitsune among the options among the table there, its the name of his novel, and read the sample already on Amazon. He has already sent me a copy to read and get my honest opinion on it, and I will be reading it when I have the chance. I already read the sample and I really liked it so far, and it is making me anxious to read the whole thing. Maybe its not for everyone, not everything is so at least look into it, and judge for yourself. Personally, I would get the novel, and will endorse it as a fellow writer myself because that is just the kind of person I am. Until next time...PEACE!)


End file.
